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Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

Potato 28-spot ladybird beetle (255)

Photo 1. Adult 28-spotted ladybird beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata

Photo 2. Planting in Fiji that has been totally destroyed by the ladybird beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata.

Photo 3. Severely damaged potato plants showing damage caused by the ladybird beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata. Leaf miner damage is also apparent.

Photo 4. Top surface of Photo 1 showing the damage to the leaf caused by the 28-spot potato ladybird beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata. Leaf miner symptoms are also present.

Photo 5. Two larvae of the potato ladybird beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata, on the underside of a severely damaged leaf (top and centre near stem).

Photo 6. Damage to a nightshade weed by the 28-spot potato ladybird beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata.

Photo 7. Larvae of 28-spot potato ladybird beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata, on a nightshade weed.

Photo 8. Pupae of 28-spotted ladybird beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata.

Summary

Widespread distribution. Asia, South America, Oceania. Potato asnd others in the family, weeds. An important pest.
Eggs laid in batches on the underside of leaves. Whitish larvae with long dark-tipped branched spines. Adults orange with black spotted wing cases, and upper surface covered in short downy hairs.
Both adults and larvae graze both side of the leaves.
Natural enemies: parasitoid wasps are known, but not in the Pacifci islands.
Cultural control: avoid overlapping crop or next to other crops that are alternative hosts, e.g., eggplant; handpick; weed; collect and burn trash after harvest. Chemical control: PDPs, ash (or ash+lime in water), derris, pyrethrum, chilli, or synthetic pyrethroids.

Common Name

Potato ladybird beetle, 28-spotted ladybird beetle, eggplant ladybird beetle (see Fact Sheet no. 58), Philippine ladybeetle.

Scientific Name

Epilachna species. Epilachna vigintioctopunctata; previously, Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata.

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson & Mani Mua
Information from CABI (2012) Epilachna vigintioctopunctata (hadda beetle) Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/). Photo 1 Merle Shepard, Gerald R.Carner, and P.A.C Ooi, Insects and their Natural Enemies Associated with Vegetables and Soybean in Southeast Asia, Bugwood.org

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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