The story of insecticide resistance is again taking place with the battle against the Colorado potato beetle (CPB) in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest. This beetle has a long history of rapid development of insecticide resistance to nearly all classes of insecticides, and this fact has been well documented in portions of the northeastern United States and specifically, Long Island, New York. CPB has developed resistance to virtually every insecticide used for its control, including over 40 active ingredients across several chemical classes that now, unfortunately, has begun to include the neonicotinoid class of insecticides. Although this resistance has been discrete in its distribution, it stresses the need for continued vigilance in the management of insecticide resistance and strict adherence to integrated pest management strategies that reduce the likelihood and onset of resistance development.
