what plants do flea beetles eat

Some of the most common plants that flea beetles eat are:

• Squash
• Beans
• Corn
• Sunflowers
• Pepper
• Eggplants
• Rapeseed
• spinach
• Turnips
• Cucumbers

More items...

Full Answer

What do flea beetles eat in the garden?

Flea beetles are tiny, hard-shelled pests that are known for their jumping behavior when they get scared or threatened. They eat anything from veggies and fruits to decorative flowers and ornamentals. There are flea beetles that eat specific plants in the garden, and there are some that feast on a range of different plants.

What are the signs of flea beetles on plants?

The signs of flea beetles are easy to spot. Flea beetles feeding will leave small holes in the leaves of the plant, almost as if the plant was hit by buckshot. Flea beetles’ larva will also attack the root system of a plant, which may make the plant more susceptible to other pests and diseases that will kill it.

Do flea beetles kill plants?

Flea beetles’ larva will also attack the root system of a plant, which may make the plant more susceptible to other pests and diseases that will kill it. While the damage done by flea beetles feeding is unsightly, most plants can survive a flea beetle infestation.

What vegetables attract flea beetles?

Lettuce is another veggie that attracts a ton of flea beetles. Because the plant is vulnerable when it’s young (and that’s when beetles attack), you’ll have to be extra careful. Start by laying the foundation with some proactive techniques like talc powder, cinnamon sticks, and sticky traps.

What plants repel flea beetles?

Flea beetles are repelled by catnip, sage, mint, hyssop, nasturtium, and basil. They are attracted to radishes, which can be used as a “trap crop,” taking the beetles' focus off of more valuable plants.

What plants are flea beetles attracted to?

The flea beetle (family Chrysomelidae) is a pesky visitor to most gardens. The beetle targets tasty plants in the families Solanaceae (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers) and Brassicaceae ( including cole crops: broccoli, kale, cabbage, collards).

How do you keep fleas beetles away?

Repelling Flea Beetles Diatomaceous earth is safe for pets, children, and most beneficial insects, but will repel most flea beetles. Neem oil and some horticultural oils are also effective at repelling flea beetles.

Do flea beetles eat roots?

Life Cycle. Flea beetles overwinter in leaf litter or wooded areas and emerge in early spring to begin feeding on their preferred host plant. The adult beetles mate and lay eggs in the soil nearby and, when the eggs hatch, the developing larvae feed on plant roots and underground stems.

Do coffee grounds deter flea beetles?

Coffee grounds are a good repellent for flea beetles, but to get rid of them, the best and most effective option is diatomaceous earth, which will dehydrate the pests on contact.

What kills flea beetles organic?

Apply Diatomaceous Earth For Flea Beetles Diatomaceous earth (DE) is another great and inexpensive option for controlling flea beetles organically. It's made out of tiny pieces of ground up fossilized organisms. What is this? DE powder gets under the shells of beetles, and works like tiny bits of glass to kill them.

Where do flea beetles overwinter?

Flea beetles overwinter as adults under soil and leaf litter in brushy or woody areas surrounding fields, rather than in grassy areas right next to fields. They emerge in early spring when temperatures reach about 50 degrees, feeding on weeds or crops, if available.

Do flea beetles bite humans?

No, flea beetles don't bite humans, they only eat plants.

How do I control beetles in my garden?

In the home garden, one of the best control methods for beetles is handpicking. It is usually easier to handpick Japanese beetles in the morning and evening when the insects are less active. Oriental beetles can be found anytime during the day, and Asiatic garden beetles can be found at night.

What insecticide kills flea beetles?

To manage adults, place yellow sticky cards throughout the garden to trap and kill the flea beetles. Insecticides containing carbaryl, permethrin, spinosad, or bifenthrin are also effective against adult beetles. However, they must be reapplied every 1-2 weeks to provide consistent population management.

How effective is neem oil?

Neem oil kills a wide variety of insects, including aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, Japanese beetles, leafhoppers, thrips, fungus gnats, and other garden pests like spider mites and nematodes. Neem oil can also kill fungal diseases like powdery mildew, black spot, scab, anthracnose, and leaf spot.

How often can neem oil be used?

every 2 to 3 weeksHow Often Can You Use Neem Oil On Plants? As a general rule, neem oil is just for eliminating infestations. Yet, you can use it as a preventative every 2 to 3 weeks.

Where do flea beetles overwinter?

Flea beetles overwinter as adults under soil and leaf litter in brushy or woody areas surrounding fields, rather than in grassy areas right next to fields. They emerge in early spring when temperatures reach about 50 degrees, feeding on weeds or crops, if available.

Does neem oil get rid of flea beetles?

Spraying plant leaves with neem oil can get rid of flea beetles and discourage them from feeding on the leaves. It also interferes with insects' ability to reproduce slowing down the lifecycles. Insecticidal soaps work well to kill flea beetles on your plants.

Do flea beetles eat basil?

Feeding Habit Adult flea beetles thrive on cellulose derived from basil leaves. They carve small holes into the leaves as they feed on the plant. A small flea beetle infestation does not harm large, established basil plants, but new seedlings are quickly eradicated.

What insecticide kills flea beetles?

To manage adults, place yellow sticky cards throughout the garden to trap and kill the flea beetles. Insecticides containing carbaryl, permethrin, spinosad, or bifenthrin are also effective against adult beetles. However, they must be reapplied every 1-2 weeks to provide consistent population management.

How to protect plants from flea beetles?

It is important to monitor for their activity as soon as seedlings have emerged. Place yellow sticky traps in your garden to see if you have flea beetles. Check your plants for flea beetles and their damage.

What crops can be damaged by flea beetles?

The number of adult flea beetles also goes down at that time. Cole crops (cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower) and other plants with edible greens can be damaged later in the summer. Monitor and treat them as needed.

How do flea beetles cause damage?

All types of flea beetles cause similar damage. Adult flea beetles cause the most damage by feeding on the leaves and stems. They create shallow pits and small rounded, irregular holes (usually less than 1/8th inch) in the leaves. This type of damage is unique to flea beetles.

What is a potato flea beetle?

Potato flea beetle on potato plant. Flea beetles are a type of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. Most adult flea beetles are very small (1/16 –1/8th inch long). An exception is the spinach flea beetle, which is 1/4-inch long. Flea beetles can be black, bronze, bluish or brown to metallic gray. Some species have stripes.

What to do about flea beetles in my garden?

Control weeds in and around planting sites to limit food sources for flea beetles.

How to keep fleas out of vegetable plants?

Keep flea beetles out of the vegetable crop. Use row covers or other screening to keep beetles out, when the seedlings are growing. Remove row covers before the flowers come up so pollinating insects can reach the plants. Plant a highly-favored crop, such as radish, as a trap crop, before you plant your main crop.

Where do flea beetles live?

Flea beetles live through the winter as adults in leaf litter, hedgerows, windbreaks and wooded areas.

What are Flea Beetles?

Flea beetles are small, beetle-like bugs. There are quite a few species, but we’ll be focusing the ones that munch on edible garden plants.

How to avoid flea beetle damage?

First, as a general rule, check on your garden plants often. The more often you head out to the garden to inspect your plants, the quicker you’ll spot problems.

What are the different types of beetles?

Here’s a quick breakdown of beetle types that can attack your garden crops: 1 Crucifer flea beetle: an all-black beetle that targets brassica crops. 2 Western black flea beetle: this pest has a shiny dark green appearance. 3 Striped flea beetle: a beetle with striped wings with a shiny black or greenish carapace. 4 Potato flea beetle: this bug is a mostly black beetle that targets potato plants. 5 Eggplant flea beetle: this is a mostly black bug that targets eggplants.

What type of beetle attacks brassica?

Here’s a quick breakdown of beetle types that can attack your garden crops: Crucifer flea beetle: an all-black beetle that targets brassica crops. Western black flea beetle: this pest has a shiny dark green appearance. Striped flea beetle: a beetle with striped wings with a shiny black or greenish carapace.

How many generations do flea beetles have?

In warmer climates, flea beetles can go through at least four generations per year. Damage can also be seen underground since the larvae target plant undergrowth.

How long is a flea beetle?

They have a shiny carapace and, in their adult form, measure about 1/16th of an inch long. Different types of flea beetles may be attracted to different kinds of garden plants, but typically they attack those in the nightshade and brassica family.

What is the best way to kill flea beetles?

Fungal spores: Fungal spores are an organic option for killing flea beetle larvae. You can purchase a fungal pathogen called beauvaria bassiana and it’s safe for use in home gardens. It should be added to the garden in the evening as the sun quickly kills active spores.

Where do flea beetles eat?

Adult flea beetles feed externally on plants, eating the surface of the leaves, stems and petals. Under heavy feeding the small round holes caused by an individual flea beetle's feeding may coalesce into larger areas of damage. Some flea beetle larvae (e.g. of Phyllotreta species) are root feeders.

What crops are affected by flea beetles?

Many major agricultural crops are attacked by flea beetles, including various cruciferous plants such as mustard and rapeseed (particularly canola in northwestern North America). Numerous garden plants are also subject to flea beetle feeding, such as flowers of Gardenia and Rothmannia by Altica species.

What is the name of the flea beetle?

Altica species larva. Disonycha xanthomelas. Luperaltica nigripalpis. The flea beetle is a small, jumping beetle of the leaf beetle family (Chrysomelidae), that makes up the tribe Alticini which is part of the subfamily Galerucinae. Historically the flea beetles were classified as their own subfamily.

What are the two predators that keep flea beetles in check?

A number of natural predators can be employed to keep flea beetles in check, including two that parasitize it: Braconid wasps and tachinid flies. In both cases, the larval stage feeds on the flea beetle, while the adults feed on nectar and pollen; some species are even important pollinators.

What flowers can be planted between crops?

To encourage Braconid wasps and Tachinid flies, some types of flowers can be planted between crops: umbels such as caraway, herb fennel, coriander and Ammi majus, and simple open flowers such as California poppies and pot marigolds, as well as yarrows.

Do flea beetles chew roots?

Flea beetles execute their most severe attacks during dry weather and are most active on sunny days. The larvae are known to chew roots.

Is leafy spurge invasive?

One important example is in the control of leafy spurge ( Euphorbia virgata ), an invasive weed in the United States. It has a toxic latex and is generally avoided by herbivores. Flea beetles of the genus Aphthona have been successfully introduced to control this plant.

What do beetles eat?

Adult beetles feed on foliage, producing “shotholes” in the leaves. Look out for these holes especially on young seedlings, where damage is most rapid and will cause the most harm. The holes they make will be round and can quickly damage leafy greens. New leaves are usually damaged first, and they will have a lacy appearance.

How to keep flea beetles out of my garden?

Cut off their food supply by delaying transplanting or planting by a couple weeks if possible. In the fall, till the garden to unearth any hiding flea beetles. This will also make soil easier to work the next spring. Row covers may be successful at keeping these pests out, as long as they are completely sealed.

What Are Flea Beetles?

Flea beetles are small, shiny-coated beetles with large rear legs, which allow them to jump like fleas when threatened (the source of their name!).

What are flea beetles attracted to?

Flea beetles are repelled by catnip and basil. They are attracted by nasturtium and radishes. You can plant these as traps for the flea beetles so that they do not attack other more valuable plants. Check out these tips to attract beneficial insects, which will prey on flea beetles.

What is the best way to kill flea beetles on tomatoes?

Dusting your plants with plain talcum powder repels flea beetles on tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and other plants.

Why are flea beetles dangerous?

The real danger is that the beetles can spread bacterial diseases, such as wilt and blight, from plant to plant. Therefore, they are still important to consider a pest. Photo Credit: University of California White Mountain Research Center. Flea beetles can cause leaves to appear lacy after they’ve caused a lot of damage.

How to identify flea beetles?

To identify flea beetles, it’s easier to look for signs of their damage (described below) than for the beetles themselves. At only 1/16 of an inch in length, fle a beetles are very tiny and will quickly spring away—like fleas—if they see you approach!

What does flea beetle feeding do to plants?

Flea beetles feeding will leave small holes in the leaves of the plant, almost as if the plant was hit by buckshot. Flea beetles’ larva will also attack the root system of a plant, which may make the plant more susceptible to other pests and diseases that will kill it. While the damage done by flea beetles feeding is unsightly, ...

What are flea beetles doing in my garden?

What are Flea Beetles Doing in Your Garden? Flea beetles end up in your garden for the same reason most pests end up in your garden. They are feeding. Most species of vegetable flea beetles only eat plants from one family. So if you have eggplant flea beetles, then they will only bother your eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers, ...

What are Flea Beetles?

Flea beetles are normally characterized by being very small and the fact that they jump from place to place like fleas do.

How to control flea beetles in garden?

Organic Control of Flea Beetles 1 Add a thick layer of mulch to the bed. This inhibits the ability of the larva to come up from the ground when they become adults. 2 Vacuum up the flea beetles. Literally take your household vacuum out to the garden and vacuum up the pests. This is effective but will need to be repeated as more flea beetles surface. 3 Weed often. This removes additional food sources for the larva who feed on plant roots. 4 Clean your garden thoroughly when the season is over. Removing dead vegetation will remove places for the mature flea beetles to overwinter. 5 Rotate your crops. Remember, adult flea beetles will only eat one kind of plant, so rotating crops will help. If your eggplants were infested this year, make sure not to plant a nightshade family plant there next year.

How to get rid of flea beetles in bed?

Once flea beetles have infested a bed, it is rather difficult to get rid of them for the current season (even with chemical controls), but steps can be taken to reduce the infestation and then eliminate it for next year. Add a thick layer of mulch to the bed.

How to get rid of flea beetles in garden?

A few spaced-out applications of this will eradicate the majority of flea beetles in your garden, leaving only those in pupal form beneath the soil’s surface. Pyrethrin sprays work even faster to eliminate the flea beetles. A good pure pyrethrin spray that I like to use is PyGanic, which works on contact.

How to get rid of flea beetles on tomato plants?

Get polycultural! Interplant your susceptible crops with ones that aren’t as appealing to the flea beetles and slow down the progress from plant to plant. Sometimes you can even manage to improve the growth of your crop – for instance, planting marigolds around the base of tomato plants can offer some protection from pests while also acting as a beneficial companion plant for the tomatoes. Some plants, such as catnip or basil, even repel the beetles naturally on their own.

What is a crucifer flea beetle?

Like both cabbage worms and cabbage loopers, the Crucifer flea beetle tends to be attracted to cruciferous plants of the family Brassicaceae. This small black beetle is local to the northern United States.

What is the name of the black beetle that eats eggplant?

Epitrix fuscula, ‘Eggplant flea beetle’ . Source: Darlene Montesano. This textured black beetle is strange in appearance, as it looks hairy. Most commonly reported in the eastern United States, it is a solanaceous feeder, preferring eggplants.

What is a tobacco flea beetle?

Tobacco flea beetles are brown with a large, darker spot on either side of their bodies. These are also solanaceous feeders, and have a wide ranged diet. They are common in warmer regions in the United States.

What is the family of flea beetles?

In scientific taxonomy, these beetles are all part of the tribe Alticini, which is part of the subfamily Galerucinae of the beetle family Chrysomelidae. While I’m going to touch on some of the Alticini tribe of flea beetles, I’m going to focus primarily on those which impact agricultural crops, especially food crops.

How many generations of flea beetles are there in a year?

Most types of flea beetles will produce at least two generations in a year, and in warmer climates, three or more generations are possible.

What plants repel flea beetles?

Growing certain strong-smelling plants in the garden that tend to repel flea beetles. One example is catnip ( Nepeta cataria) Placing row covers over your garden crops. Keeping your garden free of weeds in early spring so that emerging flea beetles have less to feed upon.

What is a flea beetle?

Profile of the Flea Beetle. The flea beetle is a type of jumping beetle; it is its large, powerful hind legs that allow it to leap, which is what it typically does when disturbed. In fact, it gets its common name from the fact that its jumping behavior reminds people of the way fleas ( Siphonaptera) jump around.

How to tell if a flea beetle is infested?

Symptoms of a Flea Beetle Infestation. Because the different types of flea beetles do not all look alike, it is easier to detect an infestation based on what the damage that they cause looks like. Flea beetles chew irregular holes in the foliage of plants.

Why are flea beetles easier to detect?

Because the different types of flea beetles do not all look alike, it is easier to detect an infestation based on what the damage that they cause looks like.

What is the life cycle of flea beetles?

Flea Beetle Life Cycle. Flea beetles have a life cycle that involves a larval stage and an adult stage. They do damage to plants in both stages, but the damage done in each stage is different. The life cycle (which varies somewhat according to the species) is as follows: In late fall, the adults burrow down into your garden's soil, leaf litter, ...

How long are flea beetles?

Most flea beetles, however, have the following traits: They are about 1/16 inch long. They are often black. But, less commonly, they can be tan or other colors (including mixed colors). Their shell is shiny. The different types of flea beetles are sometimes named for the specific plants that they target.

Where do flea beetles lay their eggs?

In summer these adults lay the eggs that will result in the next generation of flea beetles. These eggs are laid at the base of a plant's stems.

What plants attract flea beetles?

As mentioned earlier, nasturtium and radish both are major attractants to flea beetles. You can use these as flea beetle “traps” that act as decoys to keep them away from your prized plants.

What plants repel fleas?

Some of the most effective plants that repel bugs are basil, catnip, strong mint, herbs, thyme, and marigold.

Does the winter kill flea beetles?

Flea beetles aren’t killed by the winter or cold weather because they overwinter in heavy vegetation. This protects them from the elements and holds them until temperatures pick up to around 50F.

Where do flea beetles come from?

Flea beetles come from the wild. They prefer heavy and dense foliage so they can hide from predators and have plenty of food. In nature, they inhabit plant roots, soil, leaves, and other vegetation.

Why do I have flea beetles?

You have flea beetles because your garden provides a favorable environment for them to live in.

What color are flea beetles?

They can be black, orange, tan, or yellow, but may have a mix of colors depending on the species. Flea beetles also exhibit different patternings on their back- they can be striped, solid, or even display a spotted pattern. Each flea beetle is only about 1/16” in length, which is difficult to see.

When do flea beetles lay eggs?

The adult flea beetles deposit eggs on a plant stem near the soil surface. This occurs after mating around late spring to early summer. They feed and mate during the spring and lay eggs during the summer.

Overview

Description and ecology

The adults are very small to moderately sized Chrysomelidae (i.e. among beetles in general they are on the smallish side). They are similar to other leaf beetles, but characteristically have the hindleg femora greatly enlarged. These enlarged femora allow for the springing action of these insects when disturbed. Flea beetles can also walk normally and fly. Many flea beetles are attractively colored; dark, shiny and often metallic colors predominate.

Relationship with humans

Selected genera

See also

External links