How To Get Rid Of Flea Beetles, According To An Expert

Flea beetles are tiny pests that feed on a variety of garden plants. “Flea beetles can cause a lot of damage on edible and ornamental plants,” says Alejandro Del-Pozo, PhD, assistant professor and extension specialist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. “If you have an infestation and do nothing, they’ll become a problem because they’re prolific and resilient.”

While some flea beetles are generalists, feeding on many different kinds of plants, some are specialists that attack specific crops, such as potatoes, eggplants, corn and crucifers, says Del-Pozo. Fortunately, flea beetles are not harmful to people or pets.

Adult beetles overwinter in the soil and plant debris and begin feeding on foliage in early spring. Their populations are higher following a warm winter, and their damage is most severe during hot, dry conditions. Flea beetles also transmit diseases such as bacterial wilt to corn. The larvae feed on the roots of plants, but they usually don’t cause injury, though they may cause scarring on potatoes.

How To Get Rid of Flea Beetles

If you have a heavy infestation, you can try these management techniques, says Del-Pozo:

• Dust plants with diatomaceous earth.
• Spray plants with neem oil, spinosad, or insecticidal soap, though these products must contact the beetles to work. However, they’re generally more effective on the immature stages, not the adults. Follow the label instructions, and do not spray when a plant is flowering.
• Use a wet/dry vacuum with a piece of mesh over the inlet to suck them up. Then drown them in soapy water.

Signs of Flea Beetles

These shiny, oval-shaped beetles are only about 1/10th of an inch long so they’re easy to miss.

Flea beetles may be black, brown, bronze, or have white or yellow stripes. You also may see tiny holes in a shot-hole pattern chewed in plant leaves, with seedings particularly affected.

When you move the foliage to search for these pests, the adults will jump off in all directions, much like a flea,  propelled by their large hind legs, says Del-Pozo.  You may be able to see them most easily if you scout your plants during mid-day, when they are most active in the garden. 

How To Prevent Flea Beetles

Nothing is foolproof, but you can try these tips to prevent an infestation next growing season, says Del-Pozo:

• Remove weeds and crop debris in the fall to prevent beetle overwintering sites.
• Transplant large, sturdy seedlings into the garden because they tolerate flea beetle damage better than small, young seedlings.
• Use floating row covers over seedlings and susceptible crops such as eggplants, which can be decimated by flea beetles. Keep the covers on until the beginning of flowering.
• Lightly till the garden in spring or fall to reduce flea beetle populations.
• Plant trap crops, such as radish, then spray those plants to limit pesticide exposure on the plants you’re trying to protect.
• Use yellow sticky traps to monitor. This won’t control flea beetles but will tell you if they’re present so you can take action.