They chew small holes in plant leaves and can do serious damage fast if they attack young plants. Dust with rotenone to control them. These tiny insects can transmit virus diseases. They suck juices from the leaves and stems of potato plants, injuring them badly. Insecticidal soap sprays are an effective control.
Wireworms are the larvae of the click beetle.
They're a problem when potatoes are planted in a section of garden that was recently sodded. They're slender, brownish or yellowish white and tunnel into plant roots and tubers, spoiling them. If your soil is heavily infested, contact your extension service agent for advice on solving the problem. Diseases You may have a disease problem in the potato patch one year and none at all the next. The weather plays a big part in the health of a potato crop.