Palestriped Flea Beetle
Description
Adult: Adults are 4 mm long, with broad white stripes along each brown wing. The hind legs are enlarged for jumping.
Egg: Eggs are white-yellow and elliptical shaped.
Larva: Larvae are small, white, and wormlike with a brown head, found exclusively in the soil.
Pupa: Pupae are small and cream-colored.
Life History
Pale-striped flea beetles overwinter as adults in areas protected by soil clods, weeds, or plant debris. They emerge mid to late spring, and mated females lay their eggs in the soil near the base of host plants. Once hatched, larvae move into the soil to feed on roots for about 18 days, followed by pupation in the soil. Up to three generations can occur each season. First generation adults occur during May through July, and the second generation is active from mid-July until September.
Damage
Adults are more destructive than larvae. They feed on the underside of foliage, leaving irregular-sized holes. Damage can be severe if populations are high, especially on young transplants. Larval feeding on the carrot roots contribute to reduced yield. Other hosts include cole crops, edible greens, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, beets, potatoes, melons, and various weed species.
Management
Cultural
- Select sites carefully. Adult pale-striped flea beetles migrate (or jump) into crops from nearby vegetation or weedy areas. Therefore, planting crops away from those refuge areas can reduce infestation.
- Use trap crops. Plant a trap crop that is highly favored by flea beetles, such as cole crops or edible greens two weeks earlier than the main crop. Flea beetle adults are attracted to the earliest and then can be controlled.
- Use floating row covers. Apply row covers in spring to prevent adults from laying their eggs.
Biological
Natural enemies of flea beetles include the parasitic wasp Microtonus vittatae, entomopathogenic nematodes, white muscadine (fungal pathogen), and generalist predators, such as lacewing larvae, adult big-eyed bugs, and damsel bugs.