By Plantandpray
Wisconsin,
United States 
hello, I have found a bug that know one in my area has seen before it a burnt orange color with black dots down it's side. Shaped like a football about a inch long 6 legs in the front portion loves potatos plant leaves eats all but the branches multiplies extremly fast.
14 Jul, 2011
Answers
not an inch long it wont be Beattie either that or they have been on steroids.
any chance of a photo. Do you have an organisation similar to britains Defra that can help identify it?
14 Jul, 2011
If you have a photo, I'd try http://bugguide.net, or you can brouse their photos. Good luck!
15 Jul, 2011
It sounds like bad news Plantandpray! It's not a Colorado Beetle, is it? They're a well-known pest on potato plants. I've been googling and the larvae have rows of spots on their backs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_potato_beetle
http://halfmoonfarm.org/?p=444
14 Jul, 2011