Knowledgebase
Beautiful Golden Beetles #871110
Asked June 01, 2024, 11:37 PM EDT
Macomb County Michigan
Expert Response
More info in the attached links:https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/insect-and-related-pests-of-vegetables/pests-of-sweetpotato
FS292 Fact sheet - Rutgers University
https://bygl.osu.edu/node/820
https://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/running-ponies/glad-you-ditched-the-anal-fork-golden-tortoise-beetle/
https://beetleidentifications.com/golden-tortoise-beetle/
https://ag.umass.edu/greenhouse-floriculture/photos/golden-tortoise-beetle-feeding-injury-on-ipomoea - scroll down to the golden tortoise beetle info
They seem attracted to plants such as sweet potato. They also attract predatory insects as well (possibly to keep their population in check). You will need to be tolerant of plants that show leaf damage from insect feeding if you do try to attract them. One article above mentions they feed on hardwoods (leaves) but there would need to be many many of them to damage trees.