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Post by macmex on May 13, 2024 12:06:52 GMT -6
When we first started gardening in our present location I remember being plagued by Colorado Potato Beetles. For the first several years that we planted potatoes, we experienced hoards of potato beetles. Being pretty much of the organic mindset, I refused to spray, knowing that in killing the potato beetles, I would also kill whatever predators which might be present, attempting to control them. So, I hand picked them, dropping them into a can of water with vegetable oil on it. After a few weeks of regular hand picking, the plague subsided.
Each year I did the same but along the way I noticed a wheel bug eating potato beetles and their larval. Then I saw more wheel bugs and... fewer potato beetles.
![](https://i.ibb.co/z7KjnKx/wheelbug-Carrotseed7-15-2022-s.jpg) Wheel bug
Eventually, the potato bug numbers decreased to the point that I no longer bothered to hand pick. Though I spotted the wheel bugs later than the potato beetles, they always showed in time to avert much damage.
One year I ran across a patch of potato beetles and started to hand pick. After all, there was a good concentration one or two plants. I stopped, though, because I thought, "What are my wheel bugs going to eat if I kill them?"
In recent years I've seen much fewer wheel bugs but then, neither have I seen potato beetles. It's got me wondering, what's in the garden that holds them back? I see an occasional wheel bug but very few.
Yesterday I ran across a lone potato beetle. ...
![](https://i.ibb.co/2FHgWY5/potatoe-Beetle5-11-2024-s.jpg) I left it. Whatever predators I have need something to eat!
I'm wondering if ladybugs eat potato beetle eggs? We have an incredible number of them in the garden these days. Maybe that's it. Any thoughts?
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Post by macmex on May 13, 2024 12:35:52 GMT -6
I found this link which confirms my thought. Harvest to Table on Ladybugs Ladybugs prey on potato beetle larva. Bet they also eat their eggs.
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Post by rdback on May 14, 2024 8:41:35 GMT -6
My ladybugs don't seem to eat Mexican Bean Beetles, unfortunately.
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Post by macmex on May 14, 2024 8:44:31 GMT -6
I have only once seen a bean beetle here. We have something in our habitat that must eat them too. When I was a kid in NJ we battled bean beetles incessantly!
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Post by FrostyTurnip on May 14, 2024 19:10:34 GMT -6
Macmex, this has been my experience. They come in, the kids and I hand pick until I yell, “Stop! There are lady bug larvae! They need to eat.” We have tons of wheel bugs, too. I watched and waited and the lady bug larvae did a very good job in spite of them having a diverse array of other buffets.
Last year the damage was pretty bad in late summer, but not enough to worry. Maybe 1/2 of one row of the plants were wiped out as I didn’t keep up, but the potatoes came out fine. This year, there are so many wheelbugs I’m finding their nymphs IN the house this year.
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Post by amyinowasso on May 15, 2024 11:52:07 GMT -6
It seems to be a banner year for wheel bugs, there have been a lot of posts on Facebook about them already. Maybe they eat baby grasshoppers?
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Post by macmex on May 15, 2024 12:00:59 GMT -6
Wheel bugs eat anything they can catch! I have had them station themselves in front of a bustling bee hive and snack on honeybees. I bet they love baby grasshoppers. I haven't seen a wheel bug, in my garden, yet, this year. Guess they're out hunting somewhere else. Still, we've had a record low number of pests, so far.
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