How to get rid of the Colorado potato beetle using medications and folk remedies

Diseases and pests

For hundreds of years, this pest has been reducing crop yields in fields and gardens. Its name is the Colorado potato beetle. It is impossible to completely destroy this evil, but it is quite possible to significantly thin its ranks.

This striped pest originated in the Americas and therefore has no natural enemies here. Over the summer, the female lays up to 500 eggs in small clutches of 20-25, which hatch into orange larvae capable of completely destroying the foliage of the plant they infest within twenty days. Statistics show that the loss of just a third of a plant's leaves reduces its yield by a quarter. It might seem like you've dealt with the pest in your garden and can rejoice, but hopes of completely eliminating the pest are groundless, as the beetles, flying tens of kilometers in search of food, reappear on the potato plants time and again. Therefore, the fight against this insect must be ongoing.

There are various options for pest control. Chemical methods destroy the beetle quickly and reliably, biological methods are more environmentally friendly, and folk remedies combine both.

Chemical means of control

Safety precautions when working with pesticides

Before using chemicals, you need to clearly understand that these products are poisonous not only to insects but also to humans, and therefore, when using them, you must adhere to certain rules:

Teenagers under 18 years of age, pregnant and lactating women should not be involved in working with pesticides;
Before eating or smoking, you need to change clothes and wash your face and hands thoroughly with soap to prevent poison particles from entering your body;
Plants should be treated with a sprayer, preferably in windless weather;
After treating the plants, it is recommended not to weed for a day or two, and after this, the weeded plants cannot be fed to pets or birds;
Treatment is carried out three weeks before harvesting, unless otherwise stated in the instructions;
It is strictly forbidden to use food containers for mixing solutions.

Chemicals for controlling the Colorado potato beetle

Chemical insecticides are poisonous to insects and are characterized by the fastest pest control. The characteristics of several products are listed below.

Killer

The active ingredients are cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos. Cypermethrin targets adult beetles by damaging their nervous system. Chlorpyrifos targets the larvae. Both products are effective both when ingested and when inhaled. The product is most effective within the first 24 hours of application but remains effective for up to a month after treatment. The product is available in ampoules (1.3 ml) or vials (10 ml).

Application: The drug can be used both for preventive purposes and directly for the destruction of insects.

For prevention, use 10 ml of the preparation per 0.5 liters of water. This amount of mixture is enough to treat 25 kg of planting material.
To kill insects, dilute one ampoule (1.3 ml) in 8 liters of water. Apply this mixture to a 100 square meter area. Treat the area once per season, at least 45 days before harvest.

Destroy

The active ingredients are lambda-cyhalothrin and imidacloprid. The product is available in 3 ml vials. Both substances act on the pests' nervous system, paralyzing it. The insects enter the body through the leaves they consume. The product is effective for 20 days from the date of application. To treat a 100 square meter area, dilute one bottle of the product in 10 liters of water.

Kalashnikov

The active ingredient is imidacloprid. The product is available in ampoules (1 ml) or vials (10 ml). Insects enter the body through food. The product is effective for 14 days from the date of treatment. To treat a 100 square meter area, dilute 1/2 ampoule of the product in 5 liters of water. Repeat treatment if necessary.

Gulliver

The active ingredients are alpha-cypermethrin, lambda, and thiamethoxam. The product is available in 3 ml ampoules. The insects ingest the pesticides through food. Each of the substances acts on the nervous system, effectively incapacitating it. The insects experience convulsions, paralysis, and eventual death. This product also stimulates potato growth. The product is effective for 20 days from the date of application. To treat a 100 square meter area, dilute 1/2 ampoule of the product in 5 liters of water. Repeat treatment if necessary.

Stop bug

The active ingredients are thiamethoxam and fipronil. The "Stop Bug" product comes with "ECO Potassium Humate." This insecticide is absorbed by insects through food and contact, affecting the digestive and nervous systems of beetles and larvae. It is available in ampoules (3 ml + 10 ml). "ECO Potassium Humate" contains humates, succinic acid, and microelements in a form easily absorbed by plants. When applied, it increases crop yields and plant resistance to disease.

To prepare the solution, first dilute the contents of a "Stop Bug" sachet in 3 liters of water, then add "ECO Potassium Humate." Apply this amount of mixture to a 200-300 square meter area.

Aktara

The active ingredient is thiamethoxam. The product is available in ampoules (9 ml), granules (4 g), or 250 g bottles. Application: dilute 1/3 of the product (1.3 g) in a bucket of water. Pests stop feeding within half an hour after treatment, and the insects are completely killed within 24 hours. If necessary, repeat treatment after two weeks.

Corado

The active ingredient is imidacloprid. The product is available in 1 ml ampoules and 10 ml and 25 ml vials. The poison enters the insects' bodies through food or contact. It disrupts the nervous system, with final death of beetles and larvae occurring within two or three days of treatment. The active ingredient is not washed off by rain and remains effective for 30 days after treatment. To treat 100 square meters, dilute 1 ml of the product in 4 liters of water. Use warm water to ensure rapid and thorough mixing. Shake the mixture thoroughly before pouring it into the sprayer. If necessary, repeat the treatment after one month.

Regent

The active ingredient is fipronil. The product is available in a set of six 1.5 ml ampoules or a single 5 ml ampoule. The insecticide enters the pest's body through food or contact. It affects the nervous system, causing paralysis. The pests finally die within 24 hours.

To treat 100 square meters, dilute 1/2 of a small ampoule in 10 liters of water. The product remains effective for 30 days after treatment. If necessary, the treatment can be repeated after one month.

Lightning

The active ingredient is lambda-cyhalothrin. This product is available in 2 ml ampoules and 10 ml vials. This insecticide's unique feature, true to its name, is that it kills pests by paralyzing them within 20-30 minutes. Within 24 hours, 100% of pests in the area are killed. Thanks to special additives, the product is not washed away by rain or watering. To treat 100 square meters, dilute one ampoule in 10 liters of water. Spraying should be done no later than 20 days before harvest.

Apache

The active ingredient is clothianidin. The product is available in 0.5g paper sachets, with five sachets per pack. The insecticide is absorbed by insects through food and contact. Furthermore, it penetrates plant tissue within an hour of application, protecting even the young shoots that emerge after treatment.

It acts on the nervous system of pests, killing them. The product protects plants for a month from the date of treatment. To treat 200 square meters, add one sachet, unopened, to one liter of water. The sachet and its contents dissolve within a few minutes.

Disadvantages of the drug:

The solution of the drug is not intended for storage and should be used within 3 hours after administration;
If you spray plants in sunny weather, while the solution is being absorbed into the leaves, it may break down under the influence of direct ultraviolet light and lose its insecticidal properties;
Plants must be sprayed at least one hour before rain.

Taboo

The active ingredient is imidacloprid. The product is available in 10 ml bottles. The pesticide is ingested by insects through their food. It affects the insects' nervous system, causing paralysis.

This insecticide is designed to treat the potato itself, not the leaves, before planting. For this purpose, 8 ml of the product is diluted in one liter of water. This solution is used to treat approximately 100 kg of planting material.

Before soaking the root vegetables, shake the solution thoroughly. The tubers are laid out in a single layer on a plastic sheet, sprayed, then carefully turned over and sprayed on the untreated side. A reddish coloration of the root vegetables indicates that the surface has been treated. Once the tubers are dry, they can be planted.

With this treatment, "Taboo" is absorbed into the tuber and spreads through the young shoots. The Colorado potato beetle, feeding on the young shoots, receives a dose of the poison and dies. The treatment protects potatoes for 45 days.

Biological control agents

Biological pesticides are harmless to living organisms (except insects), do not accumulate harmful substances in potato tubers, do not pollute the soil, water, or air, and are considered environmentally friendly after application. Disadvantages include the delayed death of pests after treatment, as well as the instability of the products, which requires an increased number of treatments.

Bitoxybacillin

The active ingredient is a microbial culture of Bacillus thuringiensis. The product is available in 20g sachets. After spraying, bacteria penetrate the intestines of larvae and Colorado potato beetles, destroying the pests' digestive system. The maximum effect is observed seven days after treatment. Plants are sprayed with Bitoxybacillin at a temperature of at least 18-20 degrees Celsius. To treat 100 square meters, dilute 80g of powder in 10 liters of water. The product is ineffective against Colorado potato beetle eggs, so treatment is repeated up to four times per season after 7-10 days.

Agravertin

The active ingredient is Agravertin. The product is available in 5 and 10 ml ampoules. Insects ingest the product through food. It acts on the nervous system of the pests, killing them. Insects stop feeding within 6 hours after treatment, and they die en masse within 2-3 days. The product's maximum effectiveness occurs on the 5-6th day. The higher the ambient temperature, the more effective Agravertin is. The product is ineffective against Colorado potato beetle eggs. To treat 100 square meters, dilute 3 ampoules (15 ml) in a bucket of water. The resulting solution must be used within two hours of preparation. The product remains effective for 20 days after treatment. If necessary, treatment can be repeated after a month. Spraying is carried out no later than 20 days before harvest.

Nemabact

The name of the product is a combination of the words "nematode" and "bacteria." When applied, this product destroys Colorado potato beetle larvae with a specially bred microscopic worm called a nematode. The nematode penetrates the larvae's body, consumes the pest from the inside, rapidly multiplies, and searches for its next victim. Once brought to the site, the nematodes actively cleanse it for two to three years; in winter, they retreat into the soil and hibernate, only to reactivate in the spring and resume their work of clearing the area of Colorado potato beetle larvae. The nematodes are grown in a biological laboratory, applied to foam rubber, and packaged in bags. The product should be stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of two to eight degrees Celsius.

Transport the Nembact in a cooler bag. Once you've brought the Nembact to your plot, place it in the shade for an hour or so to acclimate the worms. Next, fill the bucket with warm water, cover it with a mosquito net, and shake out the foam from the bag onto the net. After an hour or so, the worms will migrate from the net into the water and settle to the bottom. Shake the water, pour a half-liter jar of the mixture into a watering can, and distribute the contents evenly over the five square meters of your plot. This way, one bag of Nembact covers one hundred square meters of your garden.

After applying Nembact, the garden should be watered to wash the worms off the potato leaves. The remaining foam rubber should be buried at the edge of the garden to encourage worms that escape the water to crawl out into the soil. Nembact should be applied in the evening on cloudy days when the temperature is below 26 degrees Celsius. If the soil is dense, loosen it slightly before applying the product.

Colorado Forte

The active ingredient is the neonicotinoid imidacloprid. The product is available in 2 ml ampoules, with 5 ampoules sold per pack. The product enters insects through food and contact. It affects the nervous system of pests, causing paralysis. Pests die en masse within 3-5 days after spraying. To treat 100 square meters, dilute one ampoule in 10 liters of water. The product remains effective for 30 days after treatment. Spraying should be done no later than 20 days before harvest.

Folk remedies for pest control

Many gardeners refuse to use commercially available remedies for Colorado potato beetle control, believing that folk remedies are just as effective. There are many folk remedies and recipes available, including tinctures and decoctions; dry pollination with various substances; the use of phytoncides; beetle traps; and agricultural practices.

Without a doubt, the most common method of pest control is manual collection. Beetles and larvae are collected in a jar with a strong salt solution at the bottom. If the planting area is small and regular inspection is possible, this method is unrivaled.

Dry methods of pest control

When using "dry" methods of pest control, potato tops are dusted with dry substances in the morning, before the dew has melted, or immediately after rain, while the leaves are still damp.

Wood ash is a good pollinator. Sifted ash is applied to plants at a rate of 10 kg per 100 square meters. Before flowering, pollinate every two weeks, and once a month after flowering. Ash is also sprinkled between rows. Larvae and adult beetles die within 1-2 days after application. Some recommend using cement or gypsum instead of ash.

To prevent Colorado potato beetles from attacking your potato plantation, sprinkle fresh pine sawdust between the rows of potatoes. The beetle is very sensitive to the smell of fresh wood. Before flowering, sprinkle the sawdust between the rows every two weeks, and after flowering, once a month.

Using traps

In the spring, while the number of overwintered beetles is minimal, traps are used to catch them.

Jars are buried in the plot so that their rims are level with the ground. The tops of the jars are coated with potato juice, and finely chopped potato pieces are placed inside. Periodically, the jars are checked, and any beetles attracted by the delicious smell are shaken out to feed. One jar is buried per 5 square meters of plot.
Sliced potato wedges are soaked in a urea solution (100 g per 1 liter of water) for two days. In the evening, poisoned baits are placed in open jars around the area at a rate of 3-4 baits per 5 square meters.

Use of phytoncides

The Colorado potato beetle searches for edible plants based on smell. Many gardeners plant plants around their potato plots that are unpleasant to the beetle, so as to discourage the insects from flying around. The following plants are suitable for this purpose: marigolds, calendula, borage, nasturtium, coriander, tansy, catnip, and white deadnettle. And if you surround the potato plots with beans, onions, garlic, or horseradish, you'll not only receive phytoprotection but also an additional harvest.

Another option is to plant a potato and a bean seed in the same hole. As the bean grows, it will protect the potato plant with its aroma. The beans are harvested from the garden as they ripen.

Use of agricultural technology

Damage from the Colorado potato beetle is reduced by using pest-resistant varieties as planting material: "Bryansky Nadezhdy," "Zarevo," "Kamensky," "Lasunok," "Nikulinsky," "Temp," and "Utro Rnnee." These varieties have dense, finely haired leaves with an unpleasant taste and are therefore unappealing to the beetle.

To reduce the number of beetles remaining to overwinter in the area, potato tops are mowed and destroyed two weeks before harvesting, thereby forcing the beetles to starve in the fall.

Late autumn digging of the area to a depth of 25-30 cm with the addition of onion and garlic peelings helps to kill the beetles that have gone into the ground for the winter.

Note: Faverolles chickens and turkeys can be trained from puppyhood to eat Colorado potato beetle larvae and then released into the garden to collect pests.

Pest control with infusions and decoctions

Recommendations for using tinctures and decoctions

Spraying is carried out in windless weather on the dry surface of the leaves.
Sunlight destroys the insecticidal properties of decoctions, so it is better to spray in the evening.
To make the decoction stick better and stay on the leaves, soap is added to it during preparation.
Prepared solutions quickly lose their properties, and therefore they are used within several hours after preparation.
Solutions prepared according to folk recipes must be alternated, as insects quickly become accustomed to the same irritant.
Treatment with herbal decoctions is carried out every 7-10 days.
Before eating or smoking, you should change clothes and wash your face and hands thoroughly with soap to prevent particles of the infusion from entering your body.

Folk recipes for solutions to kill the Colorado potato beetle

Boil 1/2 cup of ash in 10 liters of water for 15 minutes, then let it steep for 48 hours. Add 50 grams of grated laundry soap and stir well. The potatoes are treated after the first hilling, and then, if necessary, repeat the treatment.
100 grams of birch tar is diluted in 10 liters of water, and the mixture is sprayed onto plant leaves.
For 10 liters of water, take three red pepper pods and 200 grams each of wormwood, dandelion, and horsetail. Boil for 15 minutes. For plant treatment, use 500 grams of the decoction per 10 liters of water.
Mix 1 cup of ash with 300 g of crushed wormwood. Add 10 liters of hot water and let steep for 3 hours before spraying.
One kilogram of dried and crushed white acacia bark is steeped in ten liters of water for three days. The solution is filtered before spraying.
5 liters of poplar leaves are poured with water and boiled for 15 minutes, then another 5 liters of water are added, infused for three days and this solution is sprayed on the potatoes.
A bucket of freshly picked celandine is filled with water and boiled for 15 minutes. The resulting decoction is diluted with water 1:20 (0.5 liters of decoction per 10 liters of water) and used for spraying.
300 grams of onion peel are poured with 10 liters of boiling water, pressed onto the bottom of the container with a weight, left for 24 hours, and used for spraying.
200 grams of dandelion and 200 grams of horsetail are boiled in 10 liters of water for 15 minutes, the resulting decoction is diluted with water one to twenty (0.5 liters of decoction per 10 liters of water) and used for spraying.
Boil 100 grams of dried pepper in 10 liters of water for two hours. Before spraying, add 40 grams of grated soap and stir thoroughly.
Soak 1 kg of chopped tomato shoots and tops in 10 liters of warm water for five hours. Before spraying, add 40 grams of grated soap and mix thoroughly.
Boil 3 kg of chopped tomato leaves and side shoots for half an hour in 10 liters of water. Add 5 liters of water and 20 grams of grated soap to one liter of the solution.
250 grams of tobacco stems and leaves are infused in 5 liters of water for 2 days, 10 liters of water and 40 grams of grated soap are added.
Add 200 grams of crushed garlic bulbs and scapes to 10 liters of water. Let it steep for 24 hours, then add 40 grams of grated soap.
Pour 3 liters of crushed burdock leaves into 10 liters of water. Let it steep for 24 hours, then strain before using.
Dissolve 200 grams of mustard powder in 10 liters of warm water, add 100 grams of 9% vinegar. Apply the resulting solution to potatoes during flowering.
Dilute 100 grams of urea in 10 liters of water. This solution is sprayed, simultaneously protecting plants from Colorado potato beetle larvae and providing foliar nutrition.

In conclusion, it's possible to stop the invasion of these striped crop thieves, as long as you act early. And there are options to suit every taste.

Reviews

Tatyana, 60 years old

I live in the countryside. I've been growing potatoes my whole life; we eat them ourselves, and we need a lot for the piglets. Every two weeks, my husband would strap a sprayer onto his shoulders and walk around all day spraying pesticides. Then he'd cough from the poison getting in his nose. Two years ago, my son-in-law brought Nembakt. People scolded him for a long time—it was so expensive. We mixed the product, sprinkled it around the garden, and lo and behold, a week later, there weren't a single larvae. And no need to spray, no need to poison yourself! We've been vacationing for two summers now, and these sweet little worms have been working for us! Many thanks to the scientists for developing such a wonderful product.

Alexander, 35 years old

Five years ago, we bought a house in a village near a river. My wife started a small garden. As usual, we'd go home—she to the garden, and I to the river. To devote more time to my favorite pastime of fishing, I bought a product called "Molniya" (Lightning) for Colorado beetles. It really worked like a charm—I scooped up some water, mixed a vial, sprayed the garden within an hour, and then, where I'd started, there were no more beetles or larvae. I washed my hands and headed to the river! "Molniya" is a good product, after all!

Sergey, 55 years old

I'm a retired military man who bought a house in the countryside after retiring. My grandson is allergic to chemicals, so we don't use any pesticides at all. Everything is done the old-fashioned way: the potatoes are growing alongside the beans, and calendula is blooming around the perimeter of the plot. Once a week, I boil the potato peels, dust them with ash after a rain, and spray them with a tobacco solution. No chemicals—only health benefits.