Q: This insect has chosen to feast on my tomatoes. Do you have any ideas what this is?

A: It’s a Colorado potato beetle larvae. Despite its name, the potato beetle feeds on several plants in the nightshade (tomato) family.

Legions of young boys, like me, were paid pennies in summer to go down a row of potatoes and pick the larvae to put in a jar.

I hated the work…..but the peppermints I bought were tasty!

Any garden insecticide will control them.

Colorado potato beetle

potato beetle adult