COLORADO POTATO BEETLE: WARNING AFTER HAMPSHIRE DISCOVERY.

The fully grown beetle is bright yellow or orange with black stripes COLORADO POTATO BEETLE: WARNING AFTER HAMPSHIRE DISCOVERY. A warning has been issued to farmers and growers after a pest that poses a serious threat to potato crops was identified in Hampshire. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said a single adult beetle was confirmed as a Colorado potato beetle. It follows an unrelated outbreak of the beetle in Kent earlier this week. If not eradicated, Colorado potato beetles can completely strip the leaves from potato plants. Defra said the confirmation followed a report made by member of the public in Hampshire. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) removed the beetle and is conducting surveys in gardens, potato crops and land around the finding to ensure there are no other Colorado beetles present. {Colorado beetle larvae is reddish-brown in colour, round and up to about half an inch (15mm) in length} UK...