Clavate Tortoise Beetle

Subject: Odd leaf-eating bug in Maine
Location: Coastal Maine, USA
June 17, 2012 9:26 pm
I found this creature yesterday on a leaf. It’s smaller than a dime. Can you tell me what it is?
Thank you!
Signature: Zach

Clavate Tortoise Beetle

Hi Zach,
This is a Clavate Tortoise Beetle.  Since they feed on the leaves of tomato plants and related plants in the family, including peppers, eggplant and other cultivated plants, Clavate Tortoise Beetles attract more attention than the average Leaf Beetle.

9 thoughts on “Clavate Tortoise Beetle”

  1. Noticed this dastardly looking Clavate tortoise beetle on my pepper and tomatoe plants for the first time in my life yesterday,and am well over the 70 mark. Where did they come from? Been gardening for over 50 years in many of the Northeast States and never saw one. How do I eliminate them from my garden?

    Reply
    • We generally hand pick pest species from our vegetable patch if we believe they are too numerous and detrimental to the plants.

      Reply
    • Found them on my eggplant leaves….they have eating many many holes almost every leaf of my sole potted eggplant!…I thought it looked like an alien too!

      Reply
  2. Found several on my tomato plants here in NW Wisconsin…and I believe they had been eating on my pepper plants… was told by a knowledgeable tree and plant teacher that permethrin will stop the attacks…hoping it works!

    Reply

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