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These small jumping insects proliferate on radishes and all the plants of the cruciferous family. Tiny but voracious!
The symptoms
You will start to notice the damage on the leaves to start with, by the presence of numerous small holes, making the harvest look unappetizing. Getting closer, you will see tiny, shiny black insects jumping or letting themselves fall to the ground. This behaviour has given them their nickname " Flea Beetles". Rocket and radishes can be delimitated in only a few days.
Lifecycle
Flea Beetles are active early in the spring, and commit their first damages when we start to plant our seedlings in the vegetable patch. They are in general, less active during the summer and in the autumn so they only really cause problems between March and May.
How to fight them
The best solution against Flea beettles is to protect cultivations with a net, which has small weaves about 1 mm across, also called "anti-insect net". For all plants grown for their edible laves such as rocket, it is best to avoid the use of insecticide. For the plants of the cruciferous family grown for their edible roots, (turnips for example), it is possible to spray them using an insecticide at the beginning of the attack, if the leaves are quite damaged.
How to avoid them
Flea beetles develop so quickly because the vegetables of the cruciferous family are cultivated in large numbers, and side-by-side. The proximity of colza fields also encourages their presence. To avoid their proliferation, you must not grow the same vegetable, in the same spot from one year to the next, but on the contrary use a crop rotation system. Avoid also the proliferation of wild crucefirous plants in your garden (mustard, arabidopsis...) that provide them with food and shelter.
Good to know
Pale yellow flowers attract them like magnets. It is for them a place to meet, prior to mating. Regularly inspecting flowers of that colour will help you to detect the presence of these insects in your garden. - Photos (2)
Flea Beetles
Flea Beetles
Author: Jean-Michel Groult
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Copyright
Flea Beetles
Flea Beetles
Author: Jean-Michel Groult
Copyright
Copyright