Potatoe Bugs

Keith Molden · Jun 1, 2010

Where did all these potatoe bugs come from??? I've put sevin dust on them--seems to kill 1 then 6 more come for the funeral & decide to stay. Has anybody got a good insecticide to use that will ge rid of them? They're even eating my tomatoes & green bean plants. We used to use Copper Dragon but can't seem to find it now. A friend says to put powdered lime on them, but really not sure I want to do that. I've grown potatoes for years but this is the worst I've seen. Keith

Mayor · Jun 1, 2010

Keith,
I'm experiencing the same problem.......first the taters, then they're migrating too the maters.
I've put lime on mine so thick it turned them white......doesnt seem too hurt the plants nor the bugs!!!! Both times I added 2 cups of pure 7 too the lime.......killed everything but the tater bugs.
Today....I sprayed them all with liquid 7......if that dont work......someone suggested Malathion!.
If something dont work soon......I'm afraid the danged bugs are gonna start glowing from the pesticides they're eating.....oh well....I'll just wait till dark and shoot'em with my BB gun!.

Keith Molden · Jun 1, 2010

Ddin't think of the bb gun, but there is so many don't know if I can afford the bbs. LOL

Stephen in SoKY · Jun 1, 2010

Nuprid, either applied preplant in the furrow, or over the top will get them: http://www.nufarm.com/USAg/NupridOverview

Charlie M · Jun 1, 2010

Potato bugs have become immune to sevin and lot of other pesticides. The more of them you get the more of them that live over the winter and start again the next year. I put a couple of rows of potatoes in my garden every year and the only thing I can find that's cheap is to hand pick them. I put a splash of gasoline in the bottom of a 5 gallon pail and just knock them in - adults and larva. I look over the plants every couple of days. You can look look for the yellow eggs under the leaves and keep them in check like that but its tough on a big plant.

camju · Jun 1, 2010

I don't know if you can do this now but I've been told seed flax in the potatoe row when you plant and the bugs don't come. I'm trying it this year so who knows.My aunt has good luck with fluor (yes flour) in the morning with a heavy dew sprinkle the plant white (no damage to plant) bugs get pluged up and die. Down side is if it rains you have to do it again.If you plant diffrent varieties they like one better than the other I just can't remember wich one

Chas. Ont. · Jun 1, 2010

Kieth;
I haven't had potato bugs since I started planting Marigolds among the rows. I plant one at the end and one every ten feet in the rows. I also use a heavy hay much between the rows to kept the weeds down and the moisture. Hope this helps. Chas.

hlc · Jun 1, 2010

I have not had any luck with sevin or malithon. This year I started out checking under the leaves of my two rows and mashing the eggs. After that I have been hand picking and walking to my pond and throwing them in. Fun to watch the bream go for them.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 1, 2010

Keith,
Are their any wild turkeys in your area. I have found if you can get the turkeys in your potato firld you don't have to wory about potato bugs. I take some ear corn and throw it along the rows, as of now the bugs have not developed a tolerance to turkeys.

c.w n.y · Jun 1, 2010

as far as i know their isnt any available insecticides (except fingers), that can controll adult beetles. The only hope is to control juveniles when they hatch, or soon after their are several options available then spintor, assail, novador.

davemk · Jun 1, 2010

Imidacloprid, Bifenthrin

Those chemicals will kill adults.

Robert in Md · Jun 1, 2010

Provado and Admire will kill the soft and hard shell Colorado Potato beetles. I just sprayed the last of my Provado last week on mine. 100% kill.
Now the problem is Provado only comes in 1 gallon jugs and costs about $266.00 per gallon but you only use about 2.6 fl. oz per acre. Admire does come in pint containers but the last I heard it was about $ 122. per pint. Its cheaper to buy your potatoes at Food Lion. Hope this helps

davemk · Jun 1, 2010

Admire and Provado contain the same active ingredient, Imidacloprid. You can buy imidacloprid in smaller quantities. I use Bayer Advanced Complete Insect killer from Lowes it is
$13.00 and goes a long way in a garden

It contains Imidacloprid and B Cyfluthrin. Both of those chemicals will kill adult potato bugs

Dave

36 Coupe · Jun 2, 2010

Nuprid is expensive but a pint lasted me 5 years.It works and is listed for tomatoes and many other plants.Berlin seed co sells a pint for 50 bucks.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 2, 2010

When I was a youngin, ma would send us little chits out to the tater patch with a mountain dew bottle with an inch or so of gasoline in the bottom. We got paid a penny for every potato bug in the bottle. Not sure if it was bug control or a ploy to get the kids the hell out of the house for an hour or so.

Potatoe Bugs

Keith Molden

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Mayor

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Keith Molden

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Stephen in SoKY

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Charlie M

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camju

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Chas. Ont.

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hlc

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Anonymous-0

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c.w n.y

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davemk

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Robert in Md

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davemk

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36 Coupe

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Anonymous-0

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