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Striped beetle – What is it?
Can anyone identify this striped beetle that is eating my petunia? How does one keep them away from petunias without using a chemical that damages this sensitive flower, if you know?
RC in Cranston, RI

Hi RC,
Thanks to your query, we learned something about Petunias. We suspected this was a Three Lined Potato Beetle, Lema trilineata, but that beetle only feeds on potatoes, tomatoes and members of the nightshade family. They eat our Datura. A very similar looking beetle is the Striped Cucumber Beetle, Diabrotica acalymma vittata, which is a less particular eater. It feeds upon beans, peas, corn and flowers while larvae feed on cucumber plants. A quick look at our Western Garden Book revealed that petunias belong in the nightshade family, so we believe you have a Three Striped Potato Beetle. Sorry, we looked for a natural means of control and can’t locate one. Try hand-picking.

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