By Erin Marissa Russell and Matt Gibson
Flea beetle are a common garden pest know to attack a wide variety of garden plants , including ornamentals , fruit and vegetables , feed on the plant ’s foliation by chewing irregularly - forge holes in their leaf . Severe flea mallet infestations can cause wilt and scrawny emergence in affect plants . There are multiple flea mallet species that attack garden plant , some of which target certain plant category entirely , and others feed just about any plant life they come across .
Flea mallet seem to be diehard fans of the eggplant , which they run on voraciously , destroying intact harvests and leaving industrial plant stripped bare . Other normally targeted crops include bean , beets , corn whiskey , spinach plant , peppers , melon , tomato , spud , turnips , daikon , and members of the cabbage family like Brassica oleracea italica , scratch , collard greens , Brassica oleracea botrytis , kale , Brussels pullulate , and kohlrabi . The seedlings , young transplant , and other spring ontogenesis are especially prone to flea beetle damage . away from feeding on garden plants , flea beetle can also circulate vulgar garden diseases , like bacterial wilting , to their host plant .
Once key , flea beetle control is most successfully managed by using a combining of constituent and inorganic treatment alternative . Read on to learn more about how to describe , name , and deal flea mallet damage in your dwelling house garden , from small , set-apart attacks , to major plague .
Identifying Flea Beetles
There are many dissimilar specie of flea beetles , which can make identifying flea mallet attacks somewhat difficult , as flea beetle mintage come in a wide kind of sizes and people of color . The belittled , skinny , dirt ball - like larva produce to between one - eighth and one - third inch long . Adults value between one - sixteenth and one - quaternary column inch long , calculate on the metal money .
The majority of the grownup flea mallet that aim vegetable flora are shiny and either black or dark brown . apart from pitch-dark and brown , flea beetles also come in various sunglasses of blue , light-green , and bronze , and can also be striped or metal . Flea beetles are name after the common flea because , like the flea , they jump when they are disturbed .
Flea Beetle Species
Corn Flea Beetle – This flea beetle species is known to course on all species of Indian corn , especially plants under six inches marvelous . However , the Indian corn beetle is feared less for the legal injury that it causes to new Zea mays plants , and more for the company it keeps . The corn flea mallet is also a known carrier of the microorganism that induce Stewart ’s Wilt , a very serious bacterial plant disease that can severely damage corn crops . The lilliputian , black , pinhead - sized beetle can be a nightmare for corn croppers .
Grape Flea Beetle – The grape flea beetle causes quite a bit of damage to Modern growth and the green buds on grape vines during the spring and summer . The larvae provender on the plant during the natural spring , and the dark metallic blue grownup come back to the vines to wipe out their heart out for the entire summertime . At almost a half inch in size , the grownup grape flea beetle can do quite a bit of damage .
Mint Flea Beetle – The larva of the mint flea mallet have more damage to the plant by chewing on the root system than the adult beetles do to the leaves , though in spicy areas , adult leaf damage can cause leaf fall . The very little , one - 12th - inch adults are sensationalistic - brown and pale with deep brownish mind and black eye .
Palestriped Flea Beetle – The palestriped flea mallet has a ravenous appetite and a widely - swan palate . It dines on Indian corn , beans , kale , peas , strawberries , and tomato , among other crops . It even has a taste for a few allergen - causing weeds , include ragweed . adult are one - 8th inch long , and can vary in color from metal red to xanthous - brown . It fix its name from the pale yellow stripe that runs along the mallet ’s wings .
Potato Flea Beetle – The potato flea mallet does n’t just harm potato plants . Despite their name , they bully just about every plant in your veggie garden , including potatoes , eggplant , tomatoes , fleeceable peppers , and other nightshade plants , as well as sunflower , morning glorification , and some common sess . Though the flyspeck , calamitous , one - sixteenth - inch potato beetle is small in stature , it packs a serious clout . One of the most widespread blighter , the potato mallet is a ferocious crop killer .
Red - Headed Flea Beetle – A common pest to cabbage , bean , beet , and potato works , plus a few garden weeds , the red - headed flea mallet has a various roof of the mouth and is large enough to do these flora considerable hurt . The one - sixth - inch foresightful mallet have reddish - orange heads and black bodies .
Spinach Flea Beetle – At nearly one - 4th inch long , the spinach flea beetle is the gravid bonk flea mallet mintage . Sporting a yellow - orange thorax geminate with dismal , dark-green - pitch-dark wing and helmet , the spinach plant beetle is one of the only beetles to lay its testicle on the leaves instead of the basis of the plant . you’re able to find the larvae on the underside of the leaves , while the adults feed in from the top . Spinach flea beetles think of two generations per class . The first daily round typically feed on weed , and the second generation , which has a more refined palate , feasts on beets and spinach plants .
Striped Flea Beetle – The grownup striped flea beetle gets its name from the wavelike chicken stripe that adorns each of its wing . It ’s one - twelfth - in body is otherwise black . This flea mallet species has a tasting for cruciferous vegetables , assault cabbage , mustard , Brassica rapa , radish , and broccoli crops , and its larvae can badly damage root veggie like turnip and radishes .
Sweet Potato Flea Beetle – The petite , one - sixteenth - in sweet potato beetle feeds on morning glory , sweet potato , and bindweed . It can be quite destructive to the foliage of sweet tater crop , which can slow the ontogenesis of their tubers in severe cases . Their scathe differ from other flea beetle , as hole come along more like tiny slice , or cuts in the foliage Earth’s surface .
Life Cycle of Flea Beetles
Adult flea mallet survive the wintertime by burrowing into the soil or by hide out , either in plant debris like leaf litter , or in windbreak , wooded areas , and hedgerows . After spending the winter nullify the cold , adult flea beetles emerge in early bound with a voracious appetence and a natural need to propagate their species . Depending on the particular species , female flea beetle will lie in individual eggs or egg clusters in tiny hole in the roots , in the grunge surrounding the target flora , or on the folio of a wide variety of veggie plants . Though veg plants are the most common victim of flea mallet infestations , flowers , as well as ornamental shrubs and trees , are also susceptible to attacks .
Small , white , tenuous , worm - like larvae hatch from their eggs and begin eat on the source of seedlings , as well as on younger , smaller plants in the garden . Then , the larvae transform into pupae while shroud beneath the dirt , where they will presently become adults , biding their clock time until temperatures rise in the give . As wintertime fades into bounce , adult flea beetles climb out of the territory once more . look on the coinage , there can be one to two flea beetle generation each calendar twelvemonth .
Diagnosing Flea Beetle Infestations in the Garden
soft flea beetle onrush can be spotted by closely inspecting the foliage of your garden plants . If you acknowledge tiny round , or unorthodox - mould hole or pits on the control surface of the leafage . In time , flea beetle damage creates what is known as a barb trap approach pattern on the unnatural plant ’s leaves , as if they had been sprayed with birdshot from a scattergun
Heavy plague often precede to pitted expanse , large , ragged - sounding hollow in the foliage , leaves with areas that appear bleached , or , in the worst cases , complete defoliation , wilt plants , and stunted growth .
The larvae , which feast on the solution of the same industrial plant that they will finally attack the fore and leaves of , when they are adults . The legal injury done to the root systems by larvae , however , is ordinarily not invasive enough to cause significant damage to the works , or cause serious accidental injury . Though larvae damage is not typically very harmful , there is one exclusion to that principle , which is the potato flea beetle larvae . Potato flea mallet larvae like to tunnel through the root system and into the tuber , which is know to cause scarring on the yield of the plant .
Preventing and Fighting Flea Beetles
Now that you know what kind of mayhem flea beetles can wreak in the garden , you more than belike want to verify you never have to deal with a flea mallet intrusion . Or peradventure you ’ve just learn , after reading the division on identify these garden pests , that the hemipteron you ’ve noticed here and there while working with your plants are flea mallet that necessitate to be addressed before they stimulate a serious problem . Either mode , you ’ll need to memorise about both how to forbid a flea beetle problem from materialise in the first place ( or keep it from recurring ) and how to fight these vexatious buggers off if they do chance upon . We advocate this because if your prevention method fall through and flea beetle take keep , you ’ll be best equipped to take immediate action if you already know what to do — and if you already have a flea beetle problem , once it ’s handled , you ’ll need to drift out a bar regiment to make certain the insect do n’t return to polish off what they started . The instructions below will help you keep your works healthy and insure your garden is dependable from flea mallet damage .
Whenever possible, make your life easier by choosing resistant cultivars.
When you ’re shit for come and young plants , look for those pronounce as resistant to flea beetles . ( This information may appear on the seed packet or in Cartesian product description for online purchase . ) Resistant industrial plant varieties are naturally nontaxable from struggling with flea beetle attacks , which means you wo n’t have to be as vigilant in watching for the insects and you wo n’t involve to keep up with a preventive treatment routine .
Be picky when you move transplants to the outdoor garden, adding only the best specimens to your permanent collection.
Because flea beetle are at their most detrimental when plants are young , the transplantation stagecoach is a vitally crucial chance for a gardener to make a big difference in whether their plant will struggle with flea beetles . opt the largest seedling for transplant , those that are in the undecomposed wellness . That way , if flea beetles do add up knock , your young plant will be best equipped to fight them off . Once your transplant are adjudicate into their new location , watch them carefully with the symptom of plague in judgement so you ’ll remark a problem at the first opportunity .
Row covers over especially susceptible crops will keep flea beetles at bay.
Whenever you have a plant type in your garden that run to struggle with flea mallet infestations more than others ( in other words , when you arise the flora varieties that are often cite to as “ susceptible ” ) , you may protect these plant with row covers so flea beetle wo n’t be able to even make link . Experts specifically recommend using row covers when you ’re arise brinjal or to fight seedling of any plant variety . When you target the crops that flea mallet retrieve most attractive , you ’re boil down the likeliness that any of the plants in your garden will have to handle with the stress of a flea beetle problem . Remember , once a single plant in your garden is infested , the surrounding plants are all at danger as well .
Adjust your planting schedule to minimize the possibility of flea beetles in the garden.
you may cut back your chances of dealing with a flea beetle problem to almost nil with this method . Even better , this is an easy choice to swan out because you ’ll be doing the study of planting anyway — simply change the date your plants go into the primer coat make no additional workplace for you . And unlike many of the bar and treatment methods we ’ll discuss , once you ’ve executed this plan , you do n’t need to keep set in piece of work to maintain its benefit . Flea mallet are most common at the beginning of fountain , so the further you’re able to press back your sowing or transplant date , the substantially off you ’ll be when it come up to head off a flea beetle problem .
Just check that to keep in mind the conditions forecast foryour USDA Hardiness Zone , most importantly the project frost and suspend day of the month . You ’ll also need to brush up on the temperature your plants can tolerate and their maturement periods .
pick out a day of the month you experience certain the conditions will be safe for your plants , or for those without a harvest , a full date to be their last in the garden . ( Of naturally , unless you ’re a soothsayer or the Oracle of Delphi , it wo n’t be possible to predict the conditions with 100 pct accuracy , so do n’t stress about being consummate here as long as you utilise a responsible level of caution to select your plants ’ end date .
Using the longest average available for your plants ’ maturation period , work out backward from the date you selected to begin with to influence when you should sow or transfer your collection for the time of year . In other words , start with the end date or harvesting appointment you select and subtract the number of days in the long maturation stop your inquiry uncovered . The lead date is the late particular date you should add new plants to your garden to stave off flea beetles . When you ’re finding the necessary shape , make certain to distinguish between maturation full point for plants you grow from seeded player and those grown from transplants or unseasoned plant .
Weed in and around your garden meticulously to avoid providing flea beetles with free housing.
In addition to or instead of coiffure up shop in your garden , flea beetles can makeinvasive weed plantsof several species their home ground if they choose . It can be vex to have a rigorous bar system in berth against flea beetles and still see signaling of their terms in your garden , with the bugs themselves nowhere to be found . If your garden has weeds sprinkled among your plants here and there or weeds occupy the surrounding sphere , flea beetles might just decide to make the weeds their base of military operation and perform raid on your garden whenever they get hungry . congeal a day of the workweek to be your weeding day , and really operate methodically and cautiously so that no alternate habitat are available for the flea beetles that can do such legal injury to your plants .
Do a cleanup each winter to make your garden a less attractive overwintering spot for flea beetles.
Flea beetles spend their winters in the garden they infest , need tax shelter in the soil and on plant debris . There ’s not much you’re able to do about the land . ( heavily to garden without land , is n’t it ? ) But by remove the debris from plants that legion flea beetles , you ’re abbreviate the chance that the insect will determine your garden is the good place for them to spend the winter . agenda this horticulture chore for the crook of declination or very start of winter to really discourage flea beetles from stay on your property . Make certain to agree the surface of the ground for foliation , twig , and other cloth from the plants flea beetles favor as well as sift through the top few inch of stain to see for any remaining base from these plants . Bonus : you ’re simultaneously improving your soil ’s drainage and zephyr circulation for the next farm season .
Whenever possible, choose shady locations for any susceptible plants you add to the garden.
At planting time , name any plants that will be at risk for flea mallet hurt . Then take a look at the attention and maintenance need for those plant to fix whether you could get awaY with situate them in shady share of the garden . Flea beetles love to lark in the Lord’s Day while they gluttonously devour your precious flora and trample their potentially disease - ride foot all over your garden . When you localize susceptible plant in the tincture , they instantly become far less attractive to these sun - sleep with insect , and the bugs may determine to get around your plant entirely in party favour of sunnier accommodation and dining opportunity . Of of course , some plants ca n’t be grown in the shade at all , so this proficiency ca n’t be used with every susceptible plant .
Whether you grow susceptible plants , your garden environment has combat flea beetle in the past times , or you ’re just exert cautiousness because you ’d like to avoid the trouble these louse can cause , now you should be quick . If flea beetles require war , you ’ll be arm with the knowledge you need to represent the plants that number on you for their charge . But the best character scenario is for the preventative controls we ’ve limn here to work and stave in off flea beetles for good . Whatever the future has in storage , you could count on us to point you through your gardening questions and prepare you to grow your best garden yet this season .
Learn More About Flea Beetles
https://www.almanac.com/pest/flea-beetles
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/flea-beetle-vegetables
https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/flea-beetles
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/flea-beetles-garden
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/fleabeetles.html
https://www.uvm.edu/pss/ppp/pubs/el71.htm
Click to access flea-beetles.pdf
