Home and Landscape

Carrot Beetle

  • Tomarus gibbosus
Updated: 01/2025

Identification

Carrot beetles infest flowers such as dahlia, iris, lily, and sunflower. Adults are reddish brown, 1/2-inch long, and feed both above and below ground. Larvae are up to 1-1/4 inches long, white to bluish, and have a dark head.

Damage

Foliage yellows and wilts. Plants may be stunted, fall over, or die from root-feeding beetles. The basal stems or leaves may be chewed.

Solutions

Exclude adults, which fly at night to lights. Eliminate decaying vegetation that harbors adults around plants.

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