Colorado potato beetle

Agricultural fields, gardens, and areas where nightshade plants are present across North America and Europe.

Both adults and larvae feed exclusively on the foliage of plants in the Solanaceae family, primarily potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants.

They are known for their ability to rapidly develop resistance to insecticides. They overwinter in the soil as adults and emerge in spring to lay bright orange eggs on the underside of leaves.

They are major agricultural pests capable of completely defoliating and destroying potato crops; they pose no direct physical risk to humans but cause significant economic damage.