Description of the Pest
The potato flea beetle is a small (0.065 inch), shiny, black beetle. The threespotted flea beetle is two to three times larger and has an orange colored thorax on which are three prominent dark spots. The palestriped flea beetle is about twice as large as the potato flea beetle. It is dark brown and has a longitudinal creamy white stripe on each wing cover. The desert corn flea beetle is 0.125 inch long and brownish with two pale yellowish stripes along the wings.All of the flea beetles have enlarged hind legs and jump vigorously when disturbed, thus the name flea beetle.
Damage
Damage is caused by adults. Feeding by the potato, palestriped, and threespotted flea beetles consists of numerous small rounded or irregular holes eaten in leaves so that leaves appear to have been peppered with small shot. Feeding by the desert corn flea beetle causes yellowish white feeding scars about 0.125 to 0.5 inches long along the leaf veins.In young plants particularly, the feeding damage can be very serious and can result in death. In addition to adult damage, larvae of the palestriped flea beetle feeds on roots of young plants as well as on germinating seeds.
Management
No economic thresholds are available but treatments, especially on young plants, should be considered if damage reaches a moderate level. Keep fieldsweed-free, particularly of field bindweed and mustard, which are preferred hosts of flea beetles. Heavily damaged fields should be replanted.
| Common name | Amount/Acre** | REI‡ | PHI‡ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Example trade name) | (hours) | (days) | ||
| Not all registered pesticides are listed. The following are ranked with the pesticides having the greatest IPM value listed first—the most effective and least harmful to natural enemies, honey bees, and the environment are at the top of the table. When choosing a pesticide, consider information relating to air and water quality, resistance management, and the pesticide's properties and application timing. Always read the label of the product being used. | ||||
| A. | CARBARYL* | |||
| (Sevin) XLR Plus, 4F | 1–1.5 qt | 12 | Sweet corn: 2 Forage: 14 Grain or fodder: 48 |
|
| MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 1A | ||||
| ** | Mix with sufficient water to obtain full coverage. |
| ‡ | Restricted entry interval (REI) is the number of hours (unless otherwise noted) from treatment until the treated area can be safely entered without protective clothing. Preharvest interval (PHI) is the number of days from treatment to harvest. In some cases the REI exceeds the PHI. The longer of two intervals is the minimum time that must elapse before harvest. |
| * | Permit required from county agricultural commissioner for purchase or use. |
| 1 | Rotate chemicals with a different mode-of-action Group number, and do not use products with the same mode-of-action Group number more than twice per season to help prevent the development of resistance. For example, the organophosphates have a Group number of 1B; chemicals with a 1B Group number should be alternated with chemicals that have a Group number other than 1B. Mode of action Group numbers are assigned by IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee). |