Many species of flea beetles are found throughout the United
States and there are many species of flea beetles which attack numerous plants,
but vegetable crops are most susceptible to these pests.
Flea beetles are so
named because of their ability to jump like fleas when bothered. The beetles
are small and shiny, with large rear legs. A voracious pest, they will damage
plants by chewing numerous small holes in the leaves As flea beetles feed, they
create shallow pits and small rounded, irregular, holes (usually less than
1/8th inch) in the leaves, resulting in a shot hole appearance.
When
populations are high, flea beetles can quickly defoliate and kill entire
plants. They feed most on hot sunny days and attack a wide variety of plants
including beans, cabbage, corn, eggplant, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce
and most seedlings.
Flea Beetle Control:
Remove garden debris to reduce overwintering sites.
Place floating row covers on seedlings and leave in place
until plants are old enough to tolerate beetle damage.
Plant a sacrificial crop, such as mustard and radish near
garden areas to draw pests away.
Place yellow sticky traps throughout garden rows every 15 to
30 feet to capture adults.
Beneficial nematodes applied to the soil will destroy the
larval stage, reducing root feeding and helping to prevent the next generation
of adults from emerging.
Diatomaceous earth can be dusted over plants to control the
number of feeding adults. Wear a mask
when doing this, also do not apply on a windy day.
If pest populations become intolerable, spot treat with
botanical insecticides as a last resort. (Like Neem oil)
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