Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae
Identification
• Flea beetles are black, 1/16-1/8" long with or without markings.
They jump when disturbed. (a)
• The spinach flea beetle is almost 1/4" long with a reddish neck;
its larva is up to 1/4" long and gray.
Damage
• Flea beetles eat tiny, pin-sized holes that become brown spots in
leaves of eggplant, radish, bean, potato, tomato, and pepper. (b)
• The spinach flea beetle adult and larva eat larger holes in spinach.
Management
• Remove spinach damage before eating or cut off damaged leaves and
allow new ones to regrow.
• Apply insecticide to eggplant, but ignore light damage on other crops.
Other Information
• Larvae of most flea beetles feed on the roots of various plants.
They usually do not cause any significant damage.