CLOSED: Identifying help: Beetle on potatoes, not CPB

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Matt890ca Sudbury, Canada Aug 06, 2017

Been searching high and low and can't identify this long bodied beetle. I have these and the Colorado potato beetles on my potatoes.

These grey/black ones don't seem to harm the plants as much as the CPB, but still causing significant enough damage and wilt. These ones hang out in groups and chase each other around a lot.

Interesting discovery though. Of the 5 varieties I am growing, the Russet Burbank are almost completely clear of both these pests and show very little wilt on the plants that did have some pest on them.

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Matt890ca Sudbury, Canada Aug 06, 2017

Seems my picture didn't attach

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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Aug 06, 2017

It's a blister beetle (family Meloidae) in the genus Epicauta - some can be quite destructive foliage pests.

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Matt890ca Sudbury, Canada Aug 06, 2017

Quote from Flapdoodle :
It's a blister beetle (family Meloidae) in the genus Epicauta - some can be quite destructive foliage pests.


Thank you good sir!

Now I can do some research and get them under control.

Between them and the CPB the plants are nearly done (except the Russets). Dug up some potatoes and they look healthy with good size. So at least my yields will be mostly unaffected.

Thanks

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