Colorado potato beetle

noun

: a black-and-yellow striped beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) that feeds on the leaves of the potato

called also potato beetle, potato bug

Illustration of Colorado potato beetle

• Colorado potato beetle

Examples of Colorado potato beetle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Potatoes are highly susceptible to pests like the Colorado potato beetle and diseases like late blight that caused the Irish potato famine. —Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 23 May 2026

Cilantro flowers are very small, perfect for attracting parasitoids and predators that feed on garden pests like Colorado potato beetle and tomato fruitworms. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026

When growing potatoes, choosing the right potato companion plants can help protect your crop from common pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle, aphids, and cutworms. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 May 2026

The Colorado potato beetle was a good target because the voracious critters damage not just potato, but also tomato, eggplant, and bell peppers. —Byerik Stokstad, science.org, 27 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

colorado, state of the U.S.

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Colorado potato beetle

• centripetal
• decretal
• varietal
• fetal
• foetal

Kids Definition

Colorado potato beetle

noun

Col·​o·​ra·​do potato beetle

ˌkäl-ə-ˈrad-ō-, 

-ˈräd-

: a black-and-yellow striped beetle that feeds on the leaves of the potato

called also potato beetle, potato bug