Air Potato Patrol

03/01/2024

Kylie Williams, a reporter with The Independent Florida Alligator in Gainesville, is writing an article on invasive species impacting Florida, specifically the Air Potato. She would like to speak with any Air Potato Patrol members about how our Citizen Science program has helped our followers. Her phone number is 352-834-5552 and her email is [email protected] if you are willing to help!

06/07/2023

The air potato leaf beetle is no longer being reared and shipped to residents, but researchers are working towards raising and releasing the air potato bulbil beetle. This species prefers to feed on the bulbils (potatoes) and can help slow the spread of air potato that way. Learn more from this UF fact sheet:

University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension outreach is a partnership between state, federal, and county governments to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public. The University of Florida (UF), together with Florida A&M University (FAMU), administers....

04/11/2022

If you are a member of the Air Potato Patrol, you probably noticed our annual survey in your email in box the other day. Please be sure to take a minute to fill it out and feel free to email me any pics or comments at [email protected]. Christine in Texas sent the following:

Dr. Lester,

Wanted you to know my air potato beetles came back this year but did not see them till August. And they exploded in population! They did not come back after our big freeze in 2021 and I reordered then. Thought they were not coming back this year so did not order. They have reduced the area of vine by 2/3 in the past 3 years! And I see very few potatoes forming. It is cool here and I saw one just 2 days ago. Pic below.
Thank you for these beetles!!!!!!!!!

20/07/2022

My air potato vines are doing very well this year! I got them from contaminated compost several years ago and I generally let them go to see when (or if) I get beetles feeding on them. Nothing yet, but small patches are slower to get beetles than larger infestations.

11/07/2022

Here is a summer update from Rosie in Gainesville:

At this time of year, most residents have vines that have been growing since early spring, and their infestations are likely reaching an alarming height and spread. This is around the time the air potato beetles will reemerge from their winter diapause (hibernation). It takes approximately a month for an egg to become an adult beetle, so while residents may just be seeing the first signs of beetle damage, it will be another few weeks before they notice extreme damage to their infestation. Residents should keep an eye out for signs of leaf cupping at the top of their vines, which indicates eggs have been laid, as well as the transparent, lacey-like damage that larvae leave behind. If residents continue to notice little to no signs of beetle damage, they may submit a report on our website linked below. We will contact reporters to arrange a shipment once we have beetles available.

https://www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Pests-and-Diseases/Plant-Pests-and-Diseases/Biological-Control/Air-Potato-Vine-Biological-Control