What are "potato bugs"? I'm fairly familiar with bugs and pests, including in Texas, but that doesn't ring a bell.

Also, what's "7"? Sounds mysterious and strange. Is it some heavy chemical / insecticide junk?

Are you talking about these guys?

Here is a link that might be useful: Potato Bug pic

I'm guessing she means 'Sevin' a common commercial insecticide.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sevin

Thank you
I don't know enough to really answer. Didn't even know how to spell Sevin for the dust. Haven't even seen the actual bugs. All I know is I described the damage and was told to dust em and kill them. I haven't done it yet.

The damage is to the leaves. Lots of light brown dots that are destroying the top leaves on my potatoes, Datura and Brugmansia. There is some black bug poo left behind.

But I don't actually see the bug. I read that the Colorado Beetle aka potato bug is killed by BT.

Can anyone tell me how big the tate bug actually is and how I know if that's what it actually is?

Thank you
c

I would find and identify the pest first before applying materials. It's easy to use the wrong material, and waste time and money, and possibly create side-effects (kill beneficial insects, etc.)

One thing I've found over the years, is there's large number of bugs - of various types - AND other issues (diseases, fungus, etc) that can all affect vegetables. It's not usually an easy issue of just one or two problems to have to worry about. Good luck!

Cynthia, are you talking about the Colorado potato beetle?

It so the site below says handpicking is the best approach for home gardens.

By the way, Sevin is VERY lethal to bees and I don't know if it would do much for the potato beetle problem anyway. Not only does it kill foraging bees, but before they die they take it home to the hive where it kill hundreds of baby bees while they are still in the combs.

"COLORADO POTATO BEETLE CONTROL IN HOME GARDENS:
In addition to creating problems in commercial production, the Colorado potato beetle is also a concern for home gardeners. When garden is limited to a few potato, tomato, or eggplant plants, hand-picking overwintered adults and egg masses early in the season is the simplest management approach. Most damage is done by larvae, so removing their parents and unhatched eggs should provide fairly good protection of the plants later in the season. It is no more time-consuming than other gardening practices, does not require expensive purchased inputs, and environmentally friendly. It can also be a relaxing and somewhat therapeutic experience � after all, from the biological point of view we have evolved to be hunters and gatherers, not computer programmers or hedge fund managers. The picking should be done for several weeks because overwintered beetles exit diapause and colonize host plants over approximately one-month time window."

Here is a link that might be useful: Colorado potato beetle information

thanks Roselee
I thought I had possted this yesterday before you went to so much trouble.

I can't see an actual Pot. bug. I think I have a few aphids and maybe the striped bug sucking holes int he foliage. It seems to have greatly slowed or stopped now so likely don't have PB's. I never bought the Sevin.

Thanks Jim, I held off doing anything until I could find the bugs and never could see them

thank you again....this is a great link.

c