Flea Beetles: are they fleas or are they beetles?

With a name like "flea beetle" it's hard to imagine what kind of insect you're talking about. If you see them, you'd know pretty quickly, so why are they named that way?

This time of year, gardeners and lawn owners begin to struggle with yard pests. The flea beetle falls into that category and is found throughout Virginia.

What Do Flea Beetles Look Like?

Why Are Flea Beetles Harmful?

How Can I Get Rid of Flea Beetles?

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What Do Flea Beetles Look Like?

Flea beetles are beetles, not fleas. They are small, only about 1/16th of an inch, and they range in dark colors like black, brown and blue. Some species of flea beetles could also carry spots or stripes on their hind wings. They have a hard, shiny cover for their wings, which do work well to fly them long distances. While they are beetles, they are named for their flea-like appearance owing to their large hind legs. Those legs enable them to jump like a flea.

Flea larvae can range from worm-like and pale to small-legged and gray or even black. The adults overwinter in the soil. In the spring, the females will leave their eggs near the soil line for the larvae to emerge from the soil within a few weeks. Those larvae will feed on roots and sometimes leaves as they grow into adulthood.

Why Are Flea Beetles Harmful?

Flea beetles feed on all kind of plants, especially liking gardens. They will eat the leaves of eggplants, beets, potatoes, cabbages, spinach, tomatoes, corn, peppers, and other similar plants. Flea beetles will also feed on weed plants, though that's generally not as much of a concern to gardeners who don't want the weeds anyway.

Flea beetles will chew lots of little holes in the leaves, which can leave plants (especially young plants and recent transplants) severely damaged. The damage can inhibit the plant's growth or even kill the plant. With a heavy infestation, plants can be damaged to the point of death in just one or two days. This is especially problematic in the springtime, as young plants are coming up or being transplanted into the garden, and the fleas are emerging from their overwintering.

How Do I Get Rid of Flea Beetles?

Controlling weeds around the garden is the first step in preventing a flea beetle infestation. Removing old debris, fallen leaves, and detritus in your garden areas will also deter flea beetles. You can use row covers for younger plants.

Planting crops later in the season will help, as well as planting green onions, dill or marigolds around your garden can help confuse or repel flea beetles.

If you find you have an infestation, contacting a professional pest control company is a good idea. Flea beetles are susceptible to pesticides and populations can quickly be controlled through that method. However, make sure that your pest control professionals are using spray that is safe for gardens and applying it correctly!

At Virginia Pest Pro, we're passionate about helping you enjoy your living spaces and preserve your gardens and yards. Call us today and let us help you too!

For more information on Virginia pests, check out our other blog posts and our pest library