Deep tilling and residue removal reduce Colorado potato beetle populations

Colorado potato beetles burrow up to 50 centimeters deep immediately after the potato harvest. If the soil is left undisturbed, the pests survive the winter and attack spring sprouts with increased intensity. Reducing the pest population without chemicals requires disrupting their winter shelters before the ground freezes. Cleaning the Plot Pests remain active late into the season if food sources and cover persist on the surface. To force beetles into a vulnerable state, remove all stems and leaves from potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants. Do not add this debris to the compost pile, as the heat from decomposing organic matter allows larvae to survive. Search the beds for small, damaged tubers. A single forgotten potato provides a food base that sustains beetles until the first hard frosts. All plant waste and stray tubers should be removed from the site or burned.