Potatoes in peril: Defra urge Britons to be on the lookout as invasive spud-eating Colorado beetle found

The UK's potato crop could be at risk, after invasive Colorado potato beetles were discovered in a second part of the country this week.

Defra - the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs - confirmed that a single adult beetle had been found in Hampshire, and was identified via lab tests on Friday (14 July). This follows an unrelated outbreak in a Kent potato field earlier in the week.

If not eradicated, Colorado potato beetles could pose a significant threat to Britain's potato crops, the department warned. The adult beetles and larvae feed on the foliage of potato and other plants in the nightshade family - and can completely strip them of their leaves if left uncontrolled.

UK chief plant health officer Nicola Spence said in a statement the discovery came after a report made by member of the public in Hampshire. "The beetle was swiftly removed by the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate, and there is no evidence to suggest this finding is connected to the outbreak in Kent," she said.

Staff would be carrying out searches of nearby gardens and potato fields, to find out if there were any more. “Whilst this pest does not pose a threat to human health, we encourage all growers, farmers, processors and the public to remain vigilant and report any sightings," Ms Spence said.

The beetle is bright yellow or orange with black stripes, and is usually between 8.5 and 11.5mm in length. Its larvae are reddish brown in colour, with a round, globular shape, and are up to 15mm in length.

Colorado potato beetles originated in the US, but have spread across Canada, Central America, Europe and Asia. It first appeared in Europe in France's Bordeaux region in 1921, and is now present in most European countries. However, it has yet to establish in the UK.

They are currently regulated in Britain as a quarantine pest, but while import and movement restrictions in place for susceptible host plants, they also occasionally "hitchhike" over from Europe on leafy vegetables, salad leaves, fresh herbs, and grain.

In the past 70 years, there have been two outbreaks of Colorado potato beetles in the UK, one in 1976 and one in 1977. Both outbreaks were eradicated shortly after detection, Defra said.

This comes a week after a Defra report revealed invasive species were costing the UK economy around £4 billion each year, with the financial blow more than doubling since 2010, when invasive plants, animals, and fungi cost it £1.7 billion a year.

Defra is urging the public to report any suspected Colorado potato beetle sightings to its Animal and Plant Health Agency either online or over the phone - whether at home, at work, or out and about.