Flea beetles are tiny black bugs that chew holes in leaves like someone peppered them with miniature buckshot. They’ll attack mustard, radishes and sometimes cole crops, but eggplant is their favorite. The other telltale trait is that these little bugs hop off the plants when they’re disturbed, kind of like fleas.

Flea beetles are common pests found on many vegetable crops including radishes, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, spinach and melons. Flea beetles chew irregular holes in the leaves. Severe flea beetle damage can result in wilted or stunted plants.

How to Control Flea Beetles on your Eggplant

1. Start by monitoring using sticky traps.
2. Keep the weeds under control.
3. Use screens when the seedlings are growing.
4. Use a decoy crop such as radish to attract them (Pull strategy)
5. Plant mint next to your eggplant (Push strategy)
6. Use a mulching fabric as much as possible.

Soapy water will kill flea beetles on contact. It’s easy to make your own organic spray for flea beetles by mixing 1 tsp mild organic liquid soap with 1 liter of water. This homemade insecticidal soap spray will kill the adults on contact.

At the first sign of flea beetles on your plants, turn to a trusted pesticide such as Sevin® brand garden insecticides for help. Tough on beetles, but easy on gardens, Sevin® Insect Killer Ready to Use kills flea beetles by contact and helps prevent damage to tender seedlings at the first sign of trouble.

A potent spray containing garlic and pepper can repel flea beetles and a variety of other pest insects. It is important that the spray is reapplied every few days and following any rainfall.

Control and Prevention

1. Try this homemade spray to control flea beetles: 2 cups rubbing alcohol, 5 cups water, and 1 tablespoon liquid soap.
2. Dusting your plants with plain talcum powder repels flea beetles on tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and other plants.
3. Use white sticky traps to capture flea beetles as they jump.

The most reliable method on how to get rid of flea beetles is with an insecticidal dust. Naturally derived spinosad and permethrin are two control agents that can provide some assistance in eradicating the beetles. Consistent applications are necessary because of the mobility of the pests.

A number of natural predators can be employed to keep flea beetles in check, including two that parasitize it: Braconid wasps and tachinid flies. In both cases, the larval stage feeds on the flea beetle, while the adults feed on nectar and pollen; some species are even important pollinators.

Flea beetles