Adult Colorado potato beetles overwinter in the soil near previously infested sites, emerging in spring. Females deposit eggs in clusers of 12 or more near base of solanaceous plants. Larvae emerge in 4 to 16 days. Larvae develop through four instars and, at maturity, fall to the soil, which they enter and where they pupate.
Adults emerge in two to three weeks.
This second generation of beetles feeds voraciously and generally damages plants more than the overwintering generation. The second generation is also more difficult to control with insecticides. There are usually two generations of Colorado potato beetle per year in Virginia. Timing of insecticidal or biological control applications is of critical importance, because not all stages of the Colorado potato beetle's lifecycle are susceptible to treatments. Targeting specific stages of the lifecycle also aids in avoiding selection of resistant Colorado potato beetles.