The cabbage flea beetle (Phyllotreta atra) – pest management

cabbage flea beetle (Phyllotreta atra) - pest management

The cabbage flea beetle, Phyllotreta atra, is a species widespread in Europe and Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

Description. The adult has an elongated body, 2-3 mm long, black with a slight blue-green gloss. The egg is oval, white-blue, the mature larva has an elongated body, white-yellow, with a glossy blackhead.

Biology and ecology

The cabbage flea beetle overwinters in the adult stage in the vegetal remains left behind after harvesting, in the superficial layer of the soil, under lumps of earth, or in the foliage at the edge of the forests. It produces only one generation per year. The adults leave the overwintering places towards the end of March, feeding on various spontaneous cruciferous vegetables. Afterward, they migrate to the crops with cultivated vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, radish, horseradish, mustard, etc.). The eggs are laid in clusters or alone, in the superficial layer of the soil around the plants.

Attacked plants and damages. The most important damages are caused by adults, which gnaw the upper epidermis of cabbage, cauliflower, radish, mustard leaves, forming small holes that are arranged mainly on the edge of the foliar limb, which gives them a shot up appearance.

Control. Crop harvesting and the destruction of the plant remains left behind afterward, followed by deep autumn plowing, helps reduce the biological reserve of adults in the following year. At the first sign of the attack, treatments with specific insecticides are recommended.

Recommended products

Read carefully and follow the instructions on the label of each product
×

We help you
to take care of your plants

If you haven't yet found solutions in our articles or previous discussions, start a new discussion and our experts will help you.

New discussion about

The cabbage flea beetle (Phyllotreta atra) – pest management
The cabbage flea beetle (Phyllotreta atra) – pest management

Your information:

Your name must contain a maximum of 30 characters. If you would like to pass on the details of the problem you are facing, please complete the other fields.

The maximum document size is 59 MB.

Add
It helps if you attach some Images or Clips maximumm 15 sec


Want to know more?

Our specialists participate in the discussions of the armuro community with useful information and solutions.
If you want, you can start a discussion about the problem you are facing.
Read the discussions