Weeding the potatoes, never guess what I found.

[Propane1]

A few Potatoes are only up about an inch or so.
Four potatoe bugs !!!!! Already. Jumpins I just about got the plow and plowed the potatoes up.
Normally the bugs don’t come around till July and the plants are about 9 inches tall.
Jumpins after last year, I’m about ready for the funny farm already.

Noel

 

[Propane1]

A few more good pictures.

Noel

 

[Ryan313]

What are do those bugs mean? Nice photos of the GT too.

 

[Propane1]

Those bugs Ryan will destroy a potatoe crop within three weeks. You werent on this site last year when I was ranting and raving about potatoe bugs.
Those bugs will eat every leaf of the potatoe plant leaving only the stocks. Plant dies, and no potatoes.

Noel

 

[Shorty]

I got hit early too this year. JR went at them with Captain Jack's dead bug spray. That seems to work fairly well against the tater bugs.

 

[poncho62]

Got a few last year....Wonder if the dampness makes them worse?....Been wet this spring

 

[Sawdust]

Beetles this early are emerging from the ground especially if your planting potatoes there every year. It's a beautiful potatoe garden & I love your method of planting to harvest. If you could rotate & leave an area dormant would help. The biggest problem are the eggs the adults lay under the leaves. When they hatch the larvea has a large appetite for the leaves. You almost have to turn the leaves over to find the eggs. We just got back into gardening after living in the city for awhile. We were big on companion planting including certain flowers in the garden. I know if you mulch heavily with a good straw you'll not only protect the tubers but it will create a habitat for good bugs that love the bettle eggs. Another problem with this beetle is it has developed an extreme immunity system over the years against pesticides. You may have to fire up the torch early this year.

 

[Cvans]

Noel you keep those critters up there. Got enough problems with rabbits without having to deal with those bugs.

 

[MFDAC]

If we lived closer Noel, I'd paint you a " Jumpins Funny Farm" sign for your potato farm plot---LOL! Sure hope you catch them dang things before they kill off your taters!

DAC

 

[Jazz]

I was expecting to see a treasure turned up in the potatoe patch

 

[Propane1]

Hehe, Doug. That’s what I need. A Jumpins Funny Farm sign. Hehe. Got quite a kick out of that.
No treasure jazz.
And yes I need a need bottle of fire power. I’m all so gunna try a vacuum of som sorts this year too.
If I vacuum them I could mail them out to people.

Noel

 

[Lily'sDad]

If you could find a recipe for those things, people would be begging you for them!

 

[Shotgun Wedding]

Deep Fried Potato Beetles in Laos!!!

Apparently they are a delicacy and taste like crustaceans. I say, bring your own toilet paper, sounds messy and you may run out just when you need a few extra squares.