Flea beetle control might consist of covering young seedlings with row covers, using chemical insecticides, or sprinkling diatomaceous earth on new plants. Weed control during winter months might also prove effective for flea beetle control because it removes nesting sites. Heavy mulch around plants might also help because adult flea beetles lay eggs in small cracks near the bottom of new plants. A more time-consuming system of flea beetle control involves vacuuming the pests from the leaves, a process that likely needs frequent repeating. Some gardeners prefer sowing mustard or other herbs to attract the pests away from vegetables.
Tightly sealed row covers might help keep flea beetles from feeding on newly planted seedlings. Professional gardeners recommend placing dirt completely around the covers until all gaps are sealed. When covers are removed for weeding, they should be promptly replaced and resealed to block any openings where pests might enter.
Flea beetles hide under dirt and leaves in winter months when dormant. Keeping weeds down might decrease the number of bugs emerging in the spring to begin feeding. When the weather warms, beetles detect freshly sprouted plants through chemical substances emitted into the air and fly to new feeding grounds. Once the plants mature, the beetles move on, especially avoiding plants like cabbage and broccoli because these leaves form a waxy coating as they grow.
The tiny, dark brown or black insects look like fleas and can jump onto seedlings by using their longer back legs. They usually appear soon after a garden begins sprouting because they prefer young plants. If flea beetle control is not implemented, the bugs can destroy an entire garden in a short time. They eat a wide variety of vegetables, including corn, beans, tomatoes, and lettuce.
Some gardeners prefer planting mustard or radishes in ample numbers to attract certain types of beetles. This technique might work well as flea beetle control in areas planted with cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli. Other organic flea beetle control methods include insecticides made with hot peppers or garlic. Neem products, derived from a type of tree in the mahogany family, and insecticide soaps represent additional chemical-free options.
Larvicide is sometimes used as flea beetle control to prevent hatching. These pests lay minute, white eggs in the soil, which hatch in about a week. The larvae eat roots for about a week before they emerge from the ground as adult beetles. Different types of flea beetles prefer different crops; the tuber beetle, for instance, attacks potatoes. Larvicide might protect this crop from damage.
Some flea beetles also harm flowers, trees, and ornamental shrubs. They damage leaves in a process called shot holing because the foliage resembles an area peppered by buckshot. Once plants become mature, they will continue to yield as long as three-fourths of their leaves remain intact.