Chickens do not like Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Experiments were carried out in Delaware (US) to feed chicken (Gallus domesticus) with larvae and adults of Leptinotarsa decemlineata (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) in order to learn if the Colorado beetle is tasty and consequently, if birds could be a mean of decimating the pests.
It was learned by chickens and researchers that the Colorado beetle obviously does not taste very good. After eating two larvae of the pest, most chickens turned around for the more juicy mealworms, never pecking at a Colorado beetle again. The authors, therefore, assumed that other birds also find the Colorado beetle distasteful.
This item has been available in INFOEPPO since 1993-05-24!
Sources
Hough-Goldstein, J.A.; Geiger, J.; Chang, D.; Saylor, W. (1993) Palatability and toxicity of the Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to domestic chicken.
Annals of the Entomological Society of America 86, 158-164.