Adults: yellowish orange, 1/3-inch beetles with ten lengthwise,
black stripes on wing covers, black spots on thoraxes. Larvae:
dark orange, humpbacked, 1/16- to 1/2-inch grubs with a row of
black spots along each side. Eggs: bright yellow ovals, standing
on end in clusters of about two dozen on undersides of leaves.
Found in most parts of North America Both adults and larvae chew
leaves of potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and related plants,
including petunias. Feeding can kill small plants and reduce
yields of mature plants. Overwintering adults emerge from soil
in spring to feed on young plants; after feeding, females lay up
to 1,000 eggs during their lifespan of several months. Eggs
hatch in 4 to 9 days; larvae feed 2 to 3 weeks, then pupate in
soil. Adults emerge in 5 to 10 days. Two generations in most
areas, three generations in southern states. When overwintering
adults begin to emerge, shake adults from plants onto a
dropcloth in the early morning. Dump beetles into soapy water.
Pick off adults and larv