Knowledgebase
Ground Cherry Pest #871158
Asked June 02, 2024, 1:56 PM EDT
These bugs are on my ground cherry (tomato family) plants. They seem to have eaten most of the leaves and even some of the fruits. I am unsure if the plant is salvageable or what I should do.
Oakland County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi Nikki, thanks for the question.
Looks like you have some Colorado Potato Larvae. Of course they will attack potatoes, eggplant, and tomatoes, also. These defoliators have built up resistance to many insecticides, regular monitoring and handpicking larvae and eggs can be very effective. Getting rid of solanaceous weeds will help. Beauveria bassiana will kill both larvae and adults.
Check out these links for more information:
Colorado Potato Beetle (A3678) (shopify.com)
Colorado potato beetle | UMN Extension
Colorado potato beetle - Integrated Pest Management | UI Extension (uidaho.edu)
I hope this is helpful.
