Leaf beetles, cucumber beetles, flea beetles
Cucumber, flea, and leaf beetles are pests of many flowers,
including dahlia, lily, and sunflower. Adult cucumber beetles
are shiny with black heads, long antennae, and about 0.25
inch long. Larvae are whitish and slender with three pairs
of short legs; the head and tip of the abdomen are darker.
Adults may be striped or spotted, depending upon species. Flea
beetles are small, shiny beetles with black legs enlarged
for jumping. Other
leaf beetle adults are long, oval, blunt, and have threadlike
antennae. The blue milkweed beetle adult is metallic green-blue.
Damage
Adult beetles chew holes in leaves; some species also consume shoots and blossoms. Larvae of cucumber beetles and flea beetles chew roots, which can stunt crops. Seedlings can be destroyed within a few days. Older plants can tolerate relatively large numbers.
Solutions
For species such as cucumber beetles
that also feed on grasses and certain weeds, eliminating
these nearby alternate hosts can help reduce crop damage. For
blue milkweed beetles, eliminate nearby alternate hosts
such as milkweed and oleander. Avoid
planting flowers near cucurbit vegetable crops.
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Spotted cucumber beetle adult and damage on sunflower leaf
Adult tobacco flea beetle
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