# Talk:Colorado potato beetle

Just a note that there have been some recent edits [1][2] using an incorrect use of endemic for this article. The editor started some discussion on my talk page, so I'm moving it here.
In short, wikilinking endemic rather than Endemic (epidemiology) is the correct useage here. Colorado potato beetle is not a disease where the latter link would be correct, and the term endemic in the non-epidemiological sense is about as common place in invasion biology as can be. The meaning of "not endemic" here is that it is not native to the region. Kingofaces43 (talk) 19:17, 24 September 2016 (UTC)

Dear Kingofaces43, your statement saying that endemic in epidemiological sense is not applicable to this kind of beetle, but only to describe the status of infective diseases of mankind IS RIGHT!
Since that my first attempt to correct the meaning of concerned sentence EXCLUDED the misleading term and link, which are not useful in this context.
My first correction was clear and precise, avoiding "endemic" plus the link leading to geographical / ecological endemism.
For sure an alien, possibly invasive species may not be endemic to a region at same time, thus superfluous to mention at all (European states).
After 2nd reverting of yours the sentence says again, that Colorado potato beetle is endemic to Russia, where it is an alien pest animal in real.
Do you see the clear contradiction within the sentence?
I am not sure, otherwise you would have understood the meaning of my first alteration and accepted it.
The term "endemic" in turn is NOT commonly used to describe invasive organisms for usual, yet may be used casually like here:
Leptinotarsa decemlineata HAD BEEN ENDEMIC to a relatively small region comprising the state of Colorado and minor parts of adjacent states, before its inadvertent spreading by mankind around the world, when the beetle became an invasive pest animal.
Next time please do not change my correction without asking, i would have explained the meaning to you.
Stamnariophilus 21:33, 24 September 2016 (UTC)  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Stamnaria0568 :(talk • contribs) 
It looks like you're having some misunderstandings (maybe language issues) here because what you were wikilinking and saying earlier is at least partially contradicting what you are saying now. The original (endemic) should have remained compared to Endemic (epidemiology) based on what you're saying now, especially since the changes you made were even less accurate terms. It can be a nuanced term, but the usage was technically correct (native isn't the best term, but rather confined to certain regions).
I can see what the original writer seemed to with that sentence now, but what I've updated has a very different meaning than the two edits you previously made. I hope that's clearer now once you see the edit if you compare your individual edits again. Kingofaces43 (talk) 20:39, 26 September 2016 (UTC)
Stamnariophilus 21:59, 26 September 2016 (UTC)
Dear reviewer, the one and only important fact is that you got the message and at last removed the inapplicable term.
No matter if you may understand it for real, but please do not change without basic knowledge.
I am biologist, got no "English problems" at all and do know about meaning of biologic terms - for usual.
"Endemic-geogr/ecol." was useless and wrong in previous version, and i guess you do not know about the real meaning.
"En.-epidemiol." might have made sense, in case it was used for all kinds of organisms, but is apparently restricted to human diseases.
I was not sure about the latter fact (see my note at your talk page) thus my 2nd edit was wrong.
For the next interactions: please do not undo my contribution, but do ask me for the reason.
I surely could have explained why "endemism" is to be removed from the sentence, and you had learned the real meaning of the term in biological sense.
Stamnariophilus 21:59, 26 September 2016 (UTC)  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Stamnaria0568 (talk • contribs)  

@Chiswick Chap: I saw your question flagged for the image of the 'Colorado potato beetle statue in Hédervár, Hungary' and thought it intriguing, so Googled it. According to this one anecdotal source it marks the point of the discovery of the first CPB in Hungary in 1947. A factoid worthy of mention I should think if any better refs can be found to corroborate it. I'll update the caption for now, but it definitely needs sourcing properly. Zakhx150 (talk) 14:45, 13 July 2017 (UTC)

The article makes the statement "Native to the Rocky Mountains" and cites a 200-year-old source. The question of the origins of the "pest variant" of the beetle seems to be far more complicated, and I feel the article should reflect that (and use far more recent research). I am not competent enough to do these changes, but I feel the following study would be a good starting point for any biologist brave enough to tackle this question and improve the article:
https://academic.oup.com/jee/article/111/2/868/4818462 
Otto von B. (talk) 17:25, 3 April 2021 (UTC)

Further research on Colorado potato beetles suggest that these beetles secrete symbiotic bacteria to suppress plant defenses, thus altering the physiology of the plant itself. I feel that adding this information to your article would add more depth as these beetles feed on the leaves of plants, such as potatoes. 
L.marcoymarquez (talk) 23:24, 15 February 2024 (UTC)
The entry on the Colorado potato beetle provides a thorough overview, detailing its taxonomy, range, and agricultural impact with historical context. While it effectively communicates the beetle's significance, it lacks crucial information on behavioral aspects such as migratory habits, mating behavior, and conservation concerns. Addressing these gaps would enrich readers' understanding of the beetle's ecological dynamics and aid in more holistic pest management strategies. Abeer.hreedeen (talk • contribs) 02:34, 16 February 2024 (UTC)

This Wikipedia article discusses the Colorado potato beetle, which, fascinatingly enough, is native to the Rocky Mountains and spread rapidly in potato crops across America and Europe from 1859 onwards. The year 1859 is quite interesting, considering the fact that potatoes were introduced to North America a few times in the 1600s but not widely known until 1719. The most interesting thing I took away from this article was, surprisingly the fun fact that they have 10 stripes. It’s interesting because originally, I thought that they would want to blend in with potatoes given the context that it is a destructive pest of potato crops, yet it doesn’t resemble it much. The historical context of cultural controls to ensure that crops weren’t ruined was very interesting to read about. Some even talked about the fact that there was an idea during the Cold War that these beetles could have been introduced by the CIA in an attempt to reduce food security. I would be more interested in understanding more about these fascinating beetles, specifically in the category of understanding their protective coloration and behavior. As of my initial read-through, I am still left questioning if these beetles have the best adaptive features to have clearly visible stripes on their body. Furthermore, I would be interested in understanding more about their migration or habitat choices. For example, I was surprised not to read any mention of China, India, Russia, or Ireland, as these are commonly known places for potatoes. Understanding their choice of habitat and migration patterns to Colorado would be interesting to dive deeper into. Lastly, I would want to understand better their mutualism with other animals, microbiomes, and plants. While there is evidence to show that they have negative associations with plants, especially potatoes, I wonder if there is any form of positive association or mutualistic efforts they may have with plants, humans, or other animals. Given the fact that this article has been listed as a good article, it makes sense with its high importance on insects and agriculture. I was a bit surprised to see that beetles were mid-importance and food and drink were low importance. I would love to understand better the migration and habitat choices of these beetles, their benefits to having visible stripes and understanding their mutualistic relationships.  Mikakipnisuser (talk) 03:18, 16 February 2024 (UTC)

It may be beneficial to add information on the migration habits of this beetle since this species has been known to travel for many miles between food sources Gbuml (talk) 03:34, 16 February 2024 (UTC)
Chri Ye (talk) 04:01, 16 February 2024 (UTC)The content about Parental care, Social Behavior and Mating might be included to build a more comprehensive picture for this species since these three aspects can have essential impacts on evolutionary behavior.

 This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 16 January 2024 and 25 April 2024. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Connectscience0224 (article contribs).
— Assignment last updated by Jaden.l17 (talk) 21:08, 29 February 2024 (UTC)

I'm a student part of the Behavioral Ecology 2024 Wiki Education assignment and here is some feedback that I have: Overall, a well-written article. Small grammar errors were corrected and new paragraphs (breaking up sections) for an easier read were made. Some links to other Wiki pages needed to be corrected, but overall not many edits were needed. Footnotes that were in the middle of the sentence were moved to follow footnote rules. Moreover, there may need to be some sources added - for example, for the length of the larvae. Under Mate and host searching there is a  ‘45◦of 0◦’ phrase that I’m not sure what the circles mean and clarification would be great wasn’t able to get access to the paper so was unable to correct it. Bomapoodle (talk) 22:34, 15 March 2024 (UTC)

I think this page does a great job of creating a dialogue surrounding the Colorado Potato beetle. I appreciate the depth of information presented about its behavior, particularly about its life cycle and mating process. In an effort to contribute to the articles’ thoroughness, I added a couple of sections. The first section delves into its role as an agricultural pest—more specifically its capacity for both spatial and temporal field management. The second goes into the role of the transposable elements within its genome and how these movable genetic components create a certain plasticity that aids in its resistance to pesticides. VSimhambhatla (talk) 03:34, 19 March 2024 (UTC)


##### For this entry I added sexual dimorphism, mate and host searching, genetic differentiation from agriculture, genetic differentiation due to invasion, factors affecting beetle dispersal, abiotic conditions, biotic conditions, motivations for dispersal and stimuli, and biological management.
Connectscience0224 (talk) 06:59, 1 March 2024 (UTC)

I added sub-paragraph human interaction and deleted the paragraph taxonomy. I moved the first half of information that had previously been in this section to the Lead section and deleted the second half, as it was a repeat. I included information from a study that looked at the correlation between flight and diet. I also made grammar correction. 
L.marcoymarquez (talk) 22:31, 19 March 2024 (UTC)

The story about deliberate Colorado beetle infestation during world war two by US aircraft is / was not just unique to the people in the former East Germany; I heard the same story during a visit to West Germany in 1962 when I was ten years old,  having been assured that American aircraft had dropped these to destroy German potato crops during the war. 85.61.40.129 (talk) 20:21, 22 November 2024 (UTC)