The white potato is a common veg that is democratic in many different cuisines . place - garden proprietor love planting potatoes in their garden for their versatility .
However , they face up Brobdingnagian equipment casualty due to potato bug . These bugs not only attack murphy but also feed on Solanum melongena , tomatoes , and other plant life .
It is a no - brainer that you need to get rid of potato bugs as shortly as you notice them to prevent massive damage .
However , before opting for chemical pesticides , you should essay some home remedies as they are safer and more environs - friendly .
In this article , we have shared 13 natural ways to obliterate potato bugs . scan on !
In this article
About Potato Bugs
Colorado Solanum tuberosum beetle or cricket , commonly have a go at it as potato bugs , are nocturnal insects that can be found in America and Mexico . This insect has about 40 coinage throughout North and South America . They are large in sizing , up to two inches . These cricket - like insects have orange and black stripe .
They fee on the decaying roots of plants . In the absence seizure of stinky roots , they feed on sweet plant such as potatoes , tomatoes , mad apple , etc . Once a potato hemipteron plague occurs , it is quite challenging to get rid of them . Adult potato bugs chew on fresh fruits and vegetable , but the larvae are much more harmful .
Despite being barbarous to garden works , they are not harmful to humans , although they may bite you while gardening . These cricket have strong jaws , and their sting can be quite painful .
However , apotato bug bitedoes not make any scathe apart from discomfort and irritation . however , they are jolly large worm and disgusting to look at , especially their larvae .
The Life Cycle of Colorado Potato Beetles
The lifespan cycles/second of potato bugs starts with an overwintering stage and end in a short dyad of 30 days . The hemipteran come forth in spring and provender on plants . They also pair and procreate on the plant .
Female Colorado bugs lay eggs on the bottom of leaves , around 300 eggs within four to five hebdomad . The hatching time varies between four to ten days , depending on the temperature and humidness of that location .
The larvae go through four instars before turning adult . The larvae start feeding flop after the hatching of the egg and keep growing through each of the four instars . It hire about two to three weeks .
Afterward , the larvae drop cloth into the dirt . They mould a spherical cell and pupate . This stage endure from five to ten day . After that , the cycle restarts . This bike can occur two to three times a year , depending on the area .
13 Effective and Natural Ways to Get Rid of Potato Bugs
As you could think , potato bugs take minimal sentence to turn into a massive plague . It becomes incredibly nerve-racking when a home - garden owner finds white potato bug in the garden .
However , not everyone wants to utilize chemicals and pesticide . After all , if this problem can be cure organically , why practice chemicals for it ?
So , here are some natural room or home redress to preclude or get disembarrass of Irish potato bugs .
1. Eliminate Their Habitat
destroy the potato bugs ’ habitat is the logical and long - term resolution . This is the most effective method of getting rid of Colorado beetle or potato hemipteran . Potato bugs live in underground tunnels where they stay hidden . They prefer nerveless , dampish , and sinister places .
so as to intercept potato bug from diffuse , you should keep your garden unobjectionable . Do not go forth any rocks , branch , leave of absence , dead grass , or other dirt where the potato bug can find tax shelter .
Ensure that there is no methamphetamine hydrochloride go out around the garden . Keeping your garden clean and not allow water to clog can drastically decrease the chances of white potato bug infestation .
2. Relocate Crops
If you find out that one part of your garden has been taint with potato bug , you could conceive relocating the crops for the next season . Due to the overwintering riding habit of potato bugs , you’re able to execute this method easily .
Additionally , relocate other yield and vegetable plant as they can be feign by the Solanum tuberosum bugs too . Transferring all the crop to a young localization can terminate the paste of the bugs .
you’re able to then employ pesticide to get rid of potato bugs . Once you are sure that the initial orbit is not contaminate anymore , you’re able to embed potatoes or other vegetable again .
3. Use Covers for the Plants
you’re able to find out covers for plants that are commonly know as row covers . These covers are made of heavy screens that allow pee and air to get through . However , other elements from the exterior can not enter the protective shield .
These row covers can be used to protect potato plants from potato bugs . However , call back that the cover are not suitable to use when the industrial plant turn into adults and flowers start forming .
4. Use Companion Planting Technique
fellow plantingis a technique where two or more plants benefit each other . This method can be adapted to get rid of white potato bugs .
There are a few plant that when placed around white potato plant life help forestall Colorado beetles . They let in coriander , sage , tansy , catnip , marigold , etc .
5. Demolish the Eggs of Potato Bugs
The eggs of white potato vine microbe are commonly tie to the underside of the leaf , making them difficult to notice . However , if you find these egg , you should take the necessary measuring right aside . They will mature in about four to five days , so immediate action is critical once you notice them in your garden .
Potato glitch ’ ballock are orangish and vibrant . They are belittled in size and clump together . The most effective way to check for them is by flipping the foliage and checking underneath . If you notice them in one foliage , you should crack the rest as well . There is a high-pitched possibility that there will be more orchis .
You need to get rid of the leave of absence that are contaminated by pluck or geld them . afterwards , combust or soak them in insecticides .
6. Try Mulching to Prevent Potato Bugs
Mulching is a method acting of extend the soil around tree diagram or industrial plant with different material as a protective level . Sawdust , compost , or newspaper can be used for mulching .
This technique is helpful in preventing spud bugs . Among all mulching cloth , chaff give the best consequence in preclude potato germ . Mulching makes it difficult for the bugs to locate potato plants . Moreover , the mulch draw beetle predators .
Other than that , mulch also reduces vapour , prevents erosion , controls weeds , enriches the ground , maintains dirt temperature , and so on .
7. Use Essential Oil Sprays
Some home remedies like essential oil sprays can be very useful in eliminate potato germ . Neem , peppermint , and rosemary essential oils are implausibly helpful in get rid of Colorado beetles . These employment as organic pesticides and belt down the egg and larva .
Using essential oil sprays is a speedy and easy solution to finish off beetle in your home garden . All you ask is a atomiser feeding bottle and essential rock oil . In one gallon of piss , put two tablespoon of neem oil , one teaspoon of peppermint oil color , and one teaspoonful of rosemary substantive oil . Give it a good mix and spray it on your white potato plants once you note the bugs .
8. Use Vinegar and Dish Soap Bug Spray
Another menage curative to polish off potato bugs is using a spraying made of vinegar and dish goop . It is extremely leisurely to make using things that everyone has in their household but works exceptionally well to do away with Irish potato bug .
The acidity of the vinegar not only kills white potato bugs but also other unwanted pestilence . For this , you will need a nebulizer bottle . meld one cup of vinegar and one teaspoonful of dish soap in three cups of water . Then spray the mixture on your flora . This mixing effectively kills both orchis and grownup potato germ .
9. Use Cayenne Pepper and Garlic Spray
chili pepper Madagascar pepper and Allium sativum are rude insecticides that work wonders in pop white potato bugs as well . It is very cheap to make and take away almost no time and effort .
for make this spray , you will want one whole cayenne pepper or one teaspoon cayenne powder , one whole garlic , and one tablespoon dish soap . meld them well in a quart of H2O . Then use this spray on your garden works to get disembarrass of potato bugs and ballock .
10. Use Diatomaceous Earth to Kill Potato Bugs
Diatomaceous ground is a safe and effective element to apply for killing potato bugs . DE is primarily a silica powder that comes from shells of alga . It is not harmful to humans or pets . This constitutive pesticide is not degradable . However , it might involve reapplication after a rainfall .
you may utilise DE both in pulverisation form or as a spray . you’re able to splosh the pulverization on the grime . It will infiltrate through the airfoil and belt down the Colorado bugs ’ larvae .
Alternatively , you may mix in one part of DE with four parts of water to make the DE spray . utilize it on potato plants or soil where you mean potato bug exist .
11. Get Natural Predators for Potato Bugs
Many hoi polloi have a misconception that any insect is bad for crop . That is not true , especially for your garden plants . Some insects or animals exist that are actually helpful .
A few insects or fauna predate on Irish potato bugs . These predators are really helpful , and they do not harm the potato plant at all .
Ladybugs are one of the most helpful variety of bugs for potato plant . Other marauder admit stink bugs , parasitic wasps , unripened lacewings , damsel bugs , and birds . If you see these predators , let them be as they will be helpful for your potato plants .
12. Use Traps
Traps can be used to get free of Colorado beetle too . There are unlike method acting you may use . One agency is to spread petroleum jelly on a surface and pose it in the garden . The glitch will get stuck in the jelly , which you could project away . instead , you could use mucilage to make snare for bug .
you’re able to also find hole for insect in the store . They can be quite useful ; however , using traps does not guarantee the elimination of Solanum tuberosum germ . If after a few days , you keep finding potato bugs even after using traps , then you should render hard methods of killing these pest .
13. Handpick the Bugs
This is probably the least effective and nastiest method acting of killing potato bugs from your house garden . however , it is the most born elbow room of getting disembarrass of potato bugs if you do not desire to use chemicals .
You need to search for bug on each works to ensure there are none left . If even one remains , it can multiply and infest your industrial plant . You need to look for adult microbe as well as eggs . Once you find those , you may either squish them or drown them in unctuous H2O . Anyhow , you should not forget to put on gloves for this method acting .
All in All
Do n’t have bugs wash your liveliness togrow potatoesand other vegetable in your garden .
prefer from among the thirteen effective ways to get free of potato bugs . You do not need to go for the rough chemic choice as your first choice . For domicile garden , using industrial pesticides is unnecessary and excessive .
Keep your garden uninfected and regularly stop the leaf surfaces to look for preindication of tater bug infestation . Take instantaneous step if you spot any eggs or bugs .
