Flea Beetle

[freewheeler]

On our allotments we are suffering quite badly with flea beetle. The wee buggers have set about nearly all of our brassica and lettuce seedlings. One of the old hands reccomended derris powder only for our search to reveal that it had been banned by our friends in Brussels.

Can anyone offer some advise on alternate materials to take care of these little critters. We have tried the board with glue or grease and manual methods but there are too many to make this effective. Any advice would be gratefully recieved.

[Bigmallly]

Hope there is something hear that helps FW.

Flea Beetles and how to kill and control

[zazen999]

That link says

If the Flea Beetles are visible, then spray with Bifenthrin - a contact insecticide. Otherwise, spray with Provado, which is a systemic insecticide and will kill the beetles as they bite into the leaves.


But surely, if brassicas and lettuces are grown for their leaves - won't these insecticides be passed on to the humans that eat them afterwards?

Have you tried fleecing them Freewheeler?

[sagegreen]

We have this problem every year with flea beetle, especially damaging young peas, broad beans and radish. Derris dust was brilliant, always controlled the problem - until Sept' last year when the madness that is Brussels banned the dust because it contained a tiny amount (0.2%) of Rotenone. Over some 40-years I have never heard of, or come across any harm caused by Derris!

Part of the solution for us is to sow beans and peas under cover and plant out when big enough to absorb the damage to the leaves caused by the beetle, for it is only young seedlings that are likely to fail as a result of flea beetle damage.

Good luck!

[Two_Sheds]

Flea beetles like dryness: so try to keep the affected crops on the moist side

[Paulottie]

I don't know but I brought my lifetime supply!!...anyhow while I was at the garden centre they had a very similar powder by a different name...same natural insecticide....may give good protection.

The other trick is to put down card covered in glue and wipe a stick up the row...they jump on the card.

[Flummery]

The other trick is to put down card covered in glue and wipe a stick up the row...they jump on the card.

Or vaseline...

[Paulottie]

Or vaseline...

I shan't stop you if your feelin' kinky Flum

[Flummery]

Oooh-er! I feel a bit queezy now!

[womble]

Just seen my first flea beetle holes, so it is going to be a bad year then.
Damn

[LolaLou]

........weekend visit to the allotment was a bad one - two lovely rows of broad beans completely covered in holes and frilly edges.....peas look like they are going the same way too - so frustrating!

[chris]

I have it in my parnsip plants! Haven't touched my brassicas though? Odd!

[crichmond]

Nemasys GYO, natural organic and no problems for humans.
Buy Nemasys Grow Your Own* at Marshalls Seeds

£4.45 which is 50p cheaper than anywhere else.

(Sorry just read it doent do flea beetle)

[Timmykins]

I've a load of mustard spinach and (bolted grrr..) pak choi infested with these little treasures. The seeds were initially covered by Reemay and seedlings emerged holey - I've now tried garlic and mint spray (blender with some water) - seems to have reduced their numbers...

[Jeanied]

Strangely enough, my usually bad problem with flea beetle seems to have been sorted by the hard winter - that's all I can put it down to. Or else I have been a bit better at watering this year, and they don't like it as Two Sheds observed!