Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Leptinotarsa decemlineata - Colorado Potato Beetle

Colorado Potato Beetle - Leptinotarsa decemlineata Colorado Potato Beetle - Leptinotarsa decemlineata All grown up - Leptinotarsa decemlineata Leptinotarsa decemlineata Colorado Potato Beetle - Leptinotarsa decemlineata Leptinotarsa decemlineata PA July - Leptinotarsa decemlineata Colorado Potato Beetle - Leptinotarsa decemlineata Leptinotarsa decemlineata? - Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Chrysomeloidea (Longhorn and Leaf Beetles)
Family Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Subfamily Chrysomelinae
Tribe Chrysomelini
Subtribe Doryphorina
Genus Leptinotarsa
Species decemlineata (Colorado Potato Beetle)
Explanation of Names
Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say 1824)
decemlineata = 'ten-lined' (refers to elytral pattern)
Size
5.5-11 mm(1)
Identification
Ten black stripes and irregular punctures on the pale yellow elytra (regular punctures indicate L. juncta(2)); larva has two rows of black spots on each side (one row in L. juncta)
Range
transcontinental (NS-BC to FL-CA)(3)
Food
Potatoes and related plants(1)
In south parts of US, this insect feeds on Solanum rostratum and S. augustifolium.(4)
In Arizona, it feeds on Solanum elaeagnifolium but northern populations die when feeding on this.(4)
In SC, it feeds on Solanum caroilnense(4)
Life Cycle
The larvae don't feed near the place they hatched. They begin searching, guided by vision until they find a potato plant, then they randomly begin biting the leaves. If the plant releases the proper scent, the larvae clip off the hairs on the plant surface and pierces the epidermis. Acceptance or rejection is based on the taste.(5)

Remarks
Before the introduction of the potato in the US, was confined to Colorado and neighboring states feeding on native Solanum species; now occurs in most potato growing areas both in NA and Europe
Has become a serious pest in Europe
The tarsal setae have receptors for sugar, salts, and alkaloids.(6)
See Also

L. texana vs. L. decemlineata

L. juncta
In the east, L. decemlineata could be confused with L. juncta. In Texas, it could possibly be confused with L. defecta or L. texana, although these species have fewer elytral dark stripes. In Arizona and possibly neighboring areas, it could be easily confused with L. tumamoca. --S.M. Clark, pers.comm. to =v= 25.vii.2014
Internet References
Fact sheet (Jacques & Fasulo 2012)(7)
Works Cited
1.Peterson Field Guides: Beetles
Richard E. White. 1983. Houghton Mifflin Company.
2.False Potato Beetle
3.Catalog of Leaf Beetles of America North of Mexico
Ed Riley, Shawn Clark, and Terry Seeno. 2003. Coleopterists Society.
4.Insect-Plant Biology
L.M. Schoonhoven, T. Jermy, and J.J.A. Van Loon. 1998. Chapman and Hall.
5.Insect Behavior
Robert W. Matthews and Janice R. Matthews. 1988. Robert E. Krieger Publishing Co.
6.Interrelationship Between Insects and Plants
Pierre Jolivet. 1998. CRC Press.
7.University of Florida: Featured Creatures