every year i battle with this bugger. i have literally tried everything nown to man, the only thing that seems to help is to pick by hand using fuel in the bottom of a coffee can. these buggers are such a pain and totally out of control every year is there anyone out there who may have an idea as to how to control them in a better way.

Sadly, this species is getting used to being poisoned and the spiral of more-and-worse applies to chemical control.

Rotonone, row cover, handpick, ladybugs.

Info at this link is terrific:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2204.html

John / Ecologicalsgardens

Ecological's so right! Pests becoming more and more resistent to controls. Probably due to over/incorrect use. Heidi, know you said you've tried everything, just wondering if you've heard of 2 new products by Gardens Alive for colorado potato beetle control: Bulls-Eye and Potato-Shield? (Geez, I must sound like a "shill" for them or something. This is the second post I've made mentioning their company...honest....I own no stock in their company!!!)

Bulls-Eye supposed to be new strain of Bt (only this one contains fermenting bacteria, instead of dormant) to attack nervous system of targeted adult pest. Potato Shield kills beetle in larval stage. Haven't tried it myself. Stopped growing potatoes. But interested to know if new stuff works.

have a catalog from gardens alive. get scepticle, hard to know if these companys(so many mailings) are reputable or not. now that i know they are maybe i should try it. HATE , HATE , HATE , having to use a chemical, their costly and i'm just to lazy.( really i have a huge vegetable plot and it gets so expensive, i could probably feed a small community. not kidding) i do a lot of my own canning, have bad luck with chemicals because the taste comes through in the canning process. thank you all so much for your input, i guess maybe i'll have to try a combonation of things.it is frustrating because they are immune , like you say to chemical. i could go out and literally pick 2 or 3 dozen adults everyday.