Life begins for the potato bug much as life begins for most other bugs. Ensconced in warmth and the nurturing care of a mother, they are tiny beings first formed within an egg. These eggs are as yellow as the sun and carry as much warmth and hope as the dawn of a new day because they represent the one thing that all living creatures desire: life. Eggs are laid on the tender undersides of freshly grown potato plant leaves. However, the potato bug is not as picky as the name may imply. They are also apt to lay eggs on other plants within the nightshade family, such as tomatoes. Now that the eggs are snugly homed on these plants, they can begin the next part of their journey. From the eggs, the potato bugs will burst forth as larvae. The larvae are so tender, with the soft glow of new life surrounding their small amber bodies. These supple creatures will then ravenously eat the leaves from the plants that nurtured them from their eggs. Eat, eat, and eat until they are finally ready to enter metamorphosis, where they will enter adulthood. These same plants that have acted with all of the love and care as the potato bug’s own mother will provide the shelter for this underground. Then adult potato bugs will emerge, and ahem… I think it is quite apparent what follows. The birth of new life! 

 

Many will say that potato bugs are nothing but a pest, but just this tiny glimpse into their life shows that they are worth the care and nurture that the earth puts into them, just as we are. Every life on earth has a purpose, one that is meaningful, whether for ourselves or another creature. All life must be handled gently and with the respect that such a miracle deserves.