Sweet Potato Leaf Beetle – Typophorus nigritus

Sweet Potato Leaf Beetle – Typophorus nigritus   Scientific name: Typophorus nigritus Common name: Sweet potato leaf beetle   Appearance: Sweet potato leaf beetle is a metallic blue-black beetle with a sheen on its upper surface. It has a pale yellow larva with 6 small legs, almost 13 mm in size. The adults also have 3 pairs of legs and a pair of antennae that help navigate.   Host plants or food: Sweet potato leaf beetle feeds mainly on sweet potatoes, morning glories, and railroad vine.   Territory: Throughout North, Central, and South America   Mode of damage: Sweet potato leaf beetle adults are leaf chewers, while the larvae are stem and root borers. Hence, the pest damages all the plant tissues, from leaves to stems and roots.   Habits and life history   Sweet potato leaf beetles feed in groups, causing extensive damage to the foliage. The female beetles lay eggs near the base of the plant or in the soil, where they hatch into larvae, which feed on the roots and stems. The larvae transform into adults, which restarts the lifecycle. They cause major defoliation as well as damage the roots and stems, weakening the structural integrity of the plant.