The flea beetle ( kinsfolk Chrysomelidae ) is a pesky visitor to most gardens .
The beetle targets tasty plants in the familiesSolanaceae ( potatoes , tomatoes , eggplant , peppers)and Brassicaceae ( include cole crop : broccoli , cabbage , cabbage , collards ) .
Its content to overwinter in dirt and plant debris makes it challenging to manage , and very underhand . The flea mallet inflicts both above and below - ground injuries to its target .
Cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala).
Above - footing trauma is qualify by “ shot - holing ” in the leave of the host . Sound unsightly ? Well , it is .
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Shot - holing is a aggregation of small pits and hollow that the worm manducate out of the host ’s leave .
Cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala).
vernal and lately graft plant are particularly susceptible . For the exacting gardener , this little mallet can cause a lot of thwarting !
Just in font the above - ground hurt was n’t scary enough , I ’ll continue . Below ground , the larvae feed on the roots and Tuber of legion plants .
Notable is the damage abide by potatoes from this insect , result in grooves distinguish the surface or belittled holes in the skin and taboo anatomy .
Last springiness , my married man Iplanted the most perfect potato speckle . We patiently expect while the precious spuds develop .
We notice some small hole dotting the leaf , but nothing too alarming ( we thought … ) .
Dig day arrived , and to our heavy annoyance , our spuds appear to have been poke by a Biro pen , with dark jam spotting the otherwise beautiful tubers .
Though fallible produce is often just as yummy as a potato or tomato with a pristine skin plucked from a plant with unnibbled leaf , do you really require to share those crops with the neighbors ?
I did n’t retrieve so . So it ’s metre to get rid of those bugs !
Organic management methods may be use to combat these pests through cultural , forcible , and organic - approved sprays and drenches .
What You’ll Learn
Identification, Biology, and Distribution
The flea beetle is or so 1/16 - 1/4 in long , depending on the type . Its segmented back branch are foresighted , give it the ability to skip .
And it isalso adept at flying . There are numerous species , and their colors depart wide look on the region where they are found .
The mallet come in some very fancy colors including black , green - bleak , brown , metallic , white - striped , or yellow and orange ransack .
Do n’t be fooled . acquire a keen eye for recognize these pests , so you do n’t have to have the desolation of their less - than - creative artwork on your plants ’ leaf and tubers .
See the table below to discover some vulgar cruciferous feeders ( cole cropslikecabbage , kale , andBrussels sprouts ) versus solanaceous feeder ( nightshade familyincludingtomatoes , tater , andeggplant ) .
These insects identify their fete ( read : host plant ) found on smell and visual indicators – much like we do !
Flea Beetle Types
Life Cycle
grown beetle overwinter in the soil , leaf debris , or grassy borderline of the garden or field of operations . At just about the same time when we start out to go forth from our habitation in springtime , so do they . As temperature strong , they get busy .
These ballock will hatch in approximately 10 twenty-four hour period , hatching out into small whitish larvae measure between 1/8 and 1/4 inch long , with drab heads and tiny legs behind .
They areless cute than they sound .
impertinently hatch larvae feed on the radical of plants for the next three to four weeks .
And that ’s likely to stimulate a problem in your vegetable bandage , unless you take action .
With some measured planning , preventive measures , and an natural action programme in place , you wo n’t have to vex about the safety of your valued broccoli and eggplants .
Damage Caused
Do n’t waitress until it ’s too belatedly !
The flea beetle may cause significant price to the roots and foliation of your plants . Scouting twice a day for these pests is a good practice in an constitutional curriculum .
I wish to fix an alarm on my phone to remind me to check the garden twice during the twenty-four hours .
I graba small gardening journalthat I keep by the back door and trot to the garden for a quick scouting academic session . I take short letter and pictures of what I see , so I will have a disk .
This really does n’t have to take more than a few minutes to accomplish , depending on the sizing of your garden .
Watch for holes that have been chewed into the leave by grownup flea beetles in the pattern of buckshot , or a mussy lacing radiation diagram .
To scout for larval damage , check the root of a few flora or the tubers of potato plants to look for the whitish larvae crunch away , or furrowing grooves in your tubers .
If you ’re like me and ca n’t fend the thought of sacrificing a few flora , you’re able to excavate down next to the works , gingerly move the dirt to the side to take a look , and replace the dirt afterwards .
Be vigilant . If you do have an plague , take natural action immediately to deflect further harm , and to remediate this threat to the wellness of your plant .
Organic Control Methods
There are a variety of method for assure these pests , let in cultural , physical , and biologic .
Cultural
you’re able to often avoid an plague altogether with some cultural controls .
implant earlier than adult flea beetles become fighting in spring can give your plant a head take off on the season . And who does n’t care a skillful school principal get down ?
Plant well hardened - off transplants as before long as the threat of frost has passed in your region .
Another phonograph record - keep top : If you are n’t keeping a gardening journal already , begin one . criminal record when you constitute your first transplant , and when you spot your first mallet .
You have no theme how much this will assist your planting schedule plan andpest management routinein age to come ( or maybe you already do have some idea , and you just want an extra push to put pen to report – you ’re welcome ! ) .
You may also consider planting your brassica crops afterward in the summer , when the adults are getting sleepyheaded from all of their summertime banqueting and hold out dormant .
Being diligent about keep your garden clear and free of too much debris may help to keep gadfly pressure at bay .
I use the same ( okay , maybe a little open ) rule in my garden as I do in my privy :
A little cleanup each solar day celebrate the undesirable guests from taking up house . Do your best to keep improbable weeds and old loads of leaves out of the garden where these insect pests may winter .
This is a ethnical method implement by many , specially in the spring and fall .
This method is a little gruesome for my sense of taste , but if it ’s undesirable pests or my potatoes and broccoli , the choice is a little easy to make .
till in the springkills the bulk of winter beetles , while tilling later in the season destroys larvae and cleans up the garden before fall , interrupting the grownup ’ winter patterns .
Though tilling may aid with contiguous management , its recollective - full term benefits may not be as effective as other cultural management methods – especially if you pledge to no - till method acting and believe inpromoting a sizeable microbial ecosystemandapplying helpful soil microbe .
I am in person of this camp . You canread more about the benefits of a no - till garden here .
A cakehole crop acts as a decoy for the main harvest . Plant your cakehole crop before your primary harvest so that the insects are attracted to your gob harvest first . Sacrificial , but usually in force !
If you espy flea beetles in your trap craw , consider spraying or dust ( depending on your prefer method acting of direction ) to control the universe and keep them from migrating towards the main crop as the sand trap crop becomes less desirable .
Some recommend till under the trap craw once it becomes infested , but this could produce a dangerous situation wherein the main harvest becomes the primary target .
Some undecomposed trap crops includeradishes , gargantuan Chinese mustard greens , collard greens , and bok choy . The thought is to leave a tempting treat for the dirt ball so they will focalize on the sand trap crop instead of the master crop .
Plant your trap craw around the circumference or in between row of your main crop for best results .
show more about planting and using trap craw here .
Both hold up andnon - last mulcheshelp dissuade these pestilence from your garden .
Using a live mulch interplanted between rows of your main craw ( the insects ’ target ) confound flea beetles , thus limiting their power to identify their target .
legume like trefoil and vetch actas rattling live mulchbetween row , or under - sown . However , do note that living mulches will compete with the main craw for piss and nutrients .
Non - living mulches can interfere with the adult flea beetle ’s egg - egg laying . A few options for non - surviving mulches that I favour are barley wheat and leafage bedding .
Keep in mind that it is important to solve these mulch out at the destruction of the season to forbid providing a perfect overwintering space for adult beetles .
Intercropping familiar plant helps dissuade flea beetles from the host plant life .
Because flea beetles key out their target by smell and optical cue , employing mode to inhibit their capacity to tell the host will aid protect your main crop .
Some plants to consider intercropping let in dill , bunching onions , ormarigolds .
This is a valuable ethnical control . Diatomaceous earth ( DE ) will make your garden look like it survived a flour dud explosion , but it is a knock-down constituent weapon to have on helping hand when you ’re going to war with beetles , and various other insect pesterer .
Sprinkle it on your main craw and around the base of the plants . DE is a pulverisation that is spiny on a microscopic horizontal surface , and it has a desiccating effect on small insects .
According toExtension.org , it should be applied oft ( two to three times per calendar week ) to be used effectively on flea beetles .
Read our complete pathfinder to using DE for more info .
Transplanting seedlings that are mature and large is another excellent agency to combat flea beetle .
sr. transplants may resist pest insistency and convalesce more quickly if they support damage .
transplant puny starts ( read : baby plants ) essentially sends an undefended invitation to the the transplant ’s predators : “ Pick me ! I ’m imperfect and ripe for the eating ! ”
A transplant goes through a lot of stress when it is transition from its first home , the starter matte that you carefully planted in your guest elbow room or bring home from the garden centre , to its lasting spot in the garden .
The healthier it is , the greater opportunity it has of successfully surviving the big move .
Physical
Physical controls aim to prevent the pest from accessing your crop .
swim row covers furnish a strong-arm roadblock between the beetle and the main crop .
Note that row insure demand to be installed before grownup are observed , to ensure that they do n’t get trapped under the row cover with the main harvest .
Also , call back to reveal your plants once they pop out to flower , sopollinatorsare able to do their work to ensure that you have a crop of veggies !
Read more about floating row covers here .
These traps may be used to ensnare insect cuss , but their veridical economic value comes in helping to scout and name the insect living in your garden .
Some traps are design to actually battle pest insistency by attracting and catching specific insect , to keep them from corrode your plants .
But commonly – and specifically for flea beetles – they are used as a tool for you to more easy get to know who the unwanted visitor are to your garden .
maw act as like low - technical school security measures cameras !
Biological
Biological control admit the use of goods and services of beneficial nematodes and predatory worm .
There are a variety of generalist marauder and parasitic wasps that can help oneself in the endeavor to manage a flea beetle universe .
We cover some of the more common good one here .
But these predators need legion , too .
Interplant attractive plants like clover , anise , dill , marigold , andchamomileto attract these generalists and bloodsucking wasps .
Entomopathogenic nematode worm are small dirt - dwelling worms that can efficaciously kill the larval flea beetle .
Nematodes in the fellowship Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae are particularly note for their content to manage populations , whileSteinernema carpocapsaeare known to manage flea beetle population inpotatoes .
Predatory roundworm like these may be purchase and applied by drench or spray method to control flea beetle larvae .
However , this is not an instant cure and will only work for subsequent generation .
Triple Threat Nematode Bundle via Arbico Organics
One software often lick for multiple eld , and avail to protect a wild plethora of fruit and veggies against a innkeeper of dirt ball pests .
We ’d suggest getting a combination nematode bundlelike this one from Arbico Organicsthat is effective against flea beetle as well as other garden pest .
you’re able to buy this outfit in various sizes for coverage ranging from 1,600 sq . ft . up to 10 Akka .
Read our complete guide to using good nematodes here .
Beauvaria bassianais a fungal pathogen whose spores can kill flea beetle larvae . This lilliputian fungus poses a serious threat to its host .
The spore attach to the aerofoil of the beetle , germinate , then pass through in spite of appearance of the larva and liquify its interior as a source of food for thought for the fungus . Yum !
BotaniGardBeauvaria bassianaBiological Insecticide via ARBICO organic fertiliser
This fungal atomizer may be buy and sprayed on the garden , but be sure to put on spray in the evening since direct sunlight may obliterate the spores .
Organic insecticidal sprays , gunpowder , or drenches may be purchased to help combat flea beetles in your garden such as :
Chemical Pesticide Control Options (If Desperation Strikes)
Chemical pesticides are a last resort choice . But if you dead need them , here are a few that will help you in your fighting against flea beetle :
crack outour article on safe spray practicesfor advice .
We encourage you to rely on chemical pesticides as a last resort , for the protection of our health and that of the environs .
Put on Your Scout Cap!
Who would have guessed that these flyspeck trivial beetles could do such a fuss ?
They sleep in your garden all wintertime , only to emerge and play havoc on your potato and Brassica oleracea italica ( and their congeneric ! ) , shot - holing and furrow their way through all your severe work .
Well , there ’s tough news for the flea beetles everywhere , now that you ’ve learned their programme of attack .
Put on your scout capital , and get to bring identifying and tackling these pests , utilizing the cultural , biologic , and ( only if absolutely necessary ! ) chemical tools that we ’ve covered in this clause .
And for more data about protect your garden frominsect pests , check out these guides next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . Originally published on April 9th , 2019 . Last updated April 28th , 2023 . Product photos via Arbico Organics , BotaniGard , and Bug Sales . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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Alexis Morin
