Risk factors

As well as the impact of high insect populations in the environment in the previous year and the presence of host plants, the climate is the most important regulating factor in the development of the Colorado potato beetle.

In fact, the duration of the life cycle from the egg to the formation of summer adults (beetle) is highly variable and depends on the summer
temperatures: it lasts for about one month in hot summers but may last for 2 to 3 months, in cool summers.

Consequently, the temperature has a direct effect on the number of generations formed annually and one to four generations may be formed each year depending on the climate.