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How to Identify and Get Rid of Flea Beetles

Flea beetles can be very destructive to a wide variety of plants, so be sure to take preventative measures.

Image Credit:
Greg Bryant, North Carolina State University
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Are you having trouble with flea beetles in your garden? If you’ve noticed leaves riddled with holes, and your precious plants seem stunted, you might be facing a flea beetle infestation. Here’s how to identify, prevent, and get rid of these pesky bugs so that they stop eating your vegetables!

What Are Flea Beetles?

Flea beetles are small, shiny-coated beetles with large rear legs, which allow them to jump like fleas when threatened.

There are many species of flea beetles. Some species attack a wide range of plants, while others target only certain plant families. In the garden, many vegetable crops are susceptible to these pests, particularly those in the Brassica family, like broccoli, cabbage, kale, radishes, and turnips, as well as nightshades such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.

Identification

How to Identify Flea Beetles on Plants

Given that there are so many species of flea beetles, they vary in appearance quite a bit. Colors range from black to tan, with other, brighter colors mixed in, and the beetles may have a solid, striped, or spotted pattern, depending on the species.

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, flea beetles are very tiny and will quickly spring away—like fleas—if they see you approach!

flea beetle on a leaf
Flea beetle on leaf. Credit: Fotikphoto

When Do Flea Beetles Appear?

Adult flea beetles overwinter in brush and wooded areas. Adult bugs pose the biggest threat early in the planting season, emerging typically when outdoor temperatures reach 50ºF (10°C). At this time, seedlings are also being planted, and they are most susceptible to beetle damage.

Eggs are laid at the base of plant stems in early summer after the spring feeding period, and larvae feed at the roots.

What Flea Beetle Damage Looks Like

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 flea beetles make will be round and can quickly ruin leafy greens. New leaves are usually damaged first and will have a lacy appearance.

Flea beetles usually don’t cause fatal damage to established plants because the leaves are already large enough to survive a few holes. The greater danger is that the beetles can spread bacterial diseases, such as wilt and blight, from plant to plant. Additionally, in leafy crops like lettuce or spinach, the holes can decrease the quality of the leaves.

flea beetle damage on radish leaves
Flea beetle damage on radish leaves.

Control and Prevention

How to Get Rid of Flea Beetles

  • Try this homemade spray to control flea beetles: 2 cups isopropyl alcohol, 5 cups water, and 1 tablespoon liquid soap. Test the mixture on a leaf of the plant, let it sit overnight, then spray the rest of the plant if you don’t notice any adverse effects. Spray the mixture on the foliage of garden plants that are susceptible to these pests.
  • Dusting leaves with plain talcum powder repels flea beetles on tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and other plants.
  • Use white sticky traps to capture flea beetles as they jump.
  • Insecticides may be used early in the season but are generally unnecessary in the control of flea beetles on adult plants. Be extra diligent if your soil has a history of bacterial diseases. Please contact your local nursery or cooperative extension for further advice.

How to Prevent Flea Beetles

  • In the spring, emerging flea beetles will be waiting to feast on your garden. Cut off their food supply by delaying transplanting or planting by a couple of weeks if possible.
  • In the fall, till the garden to unearth any hiding flea beetles. This will also make the soil easier to work the next spring.
  • Row covers may be successful at keeping these pests out, as long as they are completely sealed. They should be used immediately after transplanting, so the pests do not have time to find the plant.
  • Flea beetles can be kept away from crops by planting strongly scented plants such as catnip, hyssop, mint, or sage nearby. Nasturtium, radishes, and basil can be used as “trap crops” to take the beetles’ focus off of more valuable plants.
  • Check out these tips to attract beneficial insects that will prey on flea beetles.

Garden Pests

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the digital home of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. She leads digital editorial strategy and publishing across a wide range of Almanac sub...

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 06/12/2020 - 15:02

Hi, Meredith. You can apply as often as once a week. Good luck!

 <span>Emma Van Vranken</span> Thu, 04/09/2020 - 12:46
Do you have any suggestions for eradicating flea beetle indoors? I am a florist who uses locally grown flowers and these bugs seem to have setup camp in the drop ceiling of my studio. Not sure what they are surviving on.
<span>Vonda</span> Wed, 06/19/2019 - 13:03
I sprayed one leaf with the alcohol/water/liquid mixture yesterday. The leaf turned brown and curled. Any other ideas? Maybe less alcohol?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 06/19/2019 - 15:50

Yes, dilute the mixture with more water. Try doubling the amount of water and testing again.

 <span>Roderineo</span> Wed, 07/25/2018 - 01:26
My alder trees get these guys every year. I tried to wrap fly paper around the trunks this year and it appears to have helped a bit, but do they fly up from the ground into the upper areas of the trees or do they migrate up the trunks into the leaves? If they travel up the trunk, sticky tape would seem to be a possibility for controlling them. Any ideas? I lost an ancient singleton alder years ago from these bugs. If left alone, they can do significant damage.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 07/25/2018 - 11:18

We turned to the experts for help with this one, Roderineo, especially because you have them in your trees. Because the fleas seem to overwinter in the leaf and plant residue at the base of the trees (see the following), you might consider cleaning up those areas.

• Here's a forest management site that describes their life cycle: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5186816.pdf

• Here's the Oregon Cooperative Extension: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nurspest/alder%20flea%20beetle.htm

• Britain's Royal Horticultural Society has very good information; here's what they say about this: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=850

We hope this helps!

 <span>Kenneth Gibbs</span> Mon, 03/06/2017 - 12:37
what is it when I grow turnip the get holes all through them underground in the little turnips ive never seen any bugs could it be cutworms and how do I get rid of them?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 03/08/2017 - 11:04

Hi, Ken, It could be cabbage maggots, which are the larvae of the cabbage root fly. They love turnips. The most efficient preventative is to use floating row cover (light-weight "cloth") in such a way that it creates a tunnel and is secued at ground level on all sides (and ends). The cover can touch the plants, but should be loose enough as to not constrict growth of the plant. We hope this helps!

 <span>Jim Arney</span> Thu, 06/23/2016 - 13:54
I'm not sure that I have flea beetles because they don't try to jump away (or flee.. yuk) when pulled off my tomato plants. They tend to cling to the leaf. They are dark black, a tad shiny and shaped like a football with a somewhat rounded tail and a bit more pointed head. They are very small, 1/16" or smaller. They do have wings, small antenna and appear to have eight legs. Aside from that, they eat small elongated holes in the leaf and may have been responsible for yellowing of the plant especially on the bottom 1/4 of the plant. However, plant food seems to have helped with the yellowing. I applied Sevin spray this morning and hope that helps. Are these flea beetle and what else can I try if the spray doesn't help?
<span>Linda M. Hasselstrom</span> Sat, 06/18/2016 - 18:05
How large are the "parts" of alcohol and water? You specify 1 Tablespoon liquid soap, but not the amount of alcohol and water to which it is added.