1. Insect
  2. Agronomic Crops
  3. Sugar Beet Pests

Sugar beet-Flea beetle (adult)

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Includes

Pale striped flea beetle (Systena elongate)
Three-spotted flea beetle (Disconycha triangularis)
Tuber flea beetle (Epitrix tuberis)
Western potato flea beetle (E. subcrinita)

Pest description and crop damage Pinhead-sized, metallic green-black jumping beetles chew small "shotholes" in cotyledons and first true leaves of seedling sugar beets, especially plants along ditchbanks and fencerows where beetles overwinter. Damage is most severe when abnormally cool spring weather retards sugar beet plant growth.

Scouting and thresholds No formal economic thresholds exist for flea beetle insecticide treatment decisions.

Management-biological control

  • Beauveria bassiana (BotaniGard ES, Mycotrol ESO, Mycotrol O - live spores of an insect-killing fungus; various strains)-See label for rates. PHI 0 days. Typically requires 7 to 10 days after first spray for signs of effectiveness. Begin treatment at first appearance of pest. Reapply as necessary. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.

Management-chemical control

  • alpha-cypermethrin (Fastac EC, Fastac CS) at 0.014 to 0.025 lb ai/A. PHI 50 days. REI 12 hr. Apply by air or ground equipment using sufficient water to obtain full coverage of foliage (minimum of 2 gallons per acre by air and 10 gal per acre by ground). Apply no more than 0.075 lb ai/A per season. For Fastac CS, do not graze or harvest treated sugar beet tops for livestock feed.
  • azadirachtin-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
    • (Azatin LX or O) at 0.01 to 0.033 lb ai/A. REI 4 hours. Application equipment should be calibrated for no less than three gallons per acre.
    • (Debug Trés) at 0.0375 to 0.1054 lb ai/A.
    • (Ecozin Plus) at 0.012 to 0.023 lb ai/A. Spray when pests first appear and repeat after 7 to 10 days.
  • azadirachtin/pyrethrins (Azera, Azera Pro) at 0.0125 to 0.025 lb ai/A, and up to 0.044 lb ai/A under extremely heavy infestation. Dilution in a minimum of 30 gal water per acre is recommended for conventional equipment. May be applied by air at the rate of 0.0125 to 0.025 lb ai/A in a minimum of 25 gal water. Do not repeat more than every 5 to 7 days. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • carbaryl (Carbaryl 4L, Sevin 4F, Sevin XLR Plus, and others) at 1 to 1.5 lb ai/A. PHI 28 days. For Carbaryl 4L, Sevin 4F, and Sevin XLR Plus, do not apply more than a total of 3 lb ai/A per crop.
  • clothianidin (NipsIt INSIDE, Lumisure)-Application only by commercial seed treaters; no on-farm seed-treatment application.
  • clothianidin/Bacillus firmus I-1582 (Poncho/Votivo)-Application only by commercial seed treaters; no on-farm seed-treatment application.
  • clothianidin/beta cyfluthrin (Poncho Beta)-Application only by commercial seed treaters; no on-farm seed-treatment application.
  • esfenvalerate (Asana XL, S-fenvaloStar, Zyrate) at 0.03 to 0.05 lb ai/A. PHI 21 days. Do not apply more than 0.15 lb ai/A per season. Apply with ground or air equipment using enough water (at least 2 gal/A) to cover uniformly.
  • kaolin (Actimin FE, Surround CF, Surround WP)-For suppression only. Product forms a barrier film that acts as a protectant; apply before infestations develop and continue on a 7- to 14-day schedule for the duration of the infestation. See label for rates. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • methomyl (Annihilate LV, Annihilate SP, Lannate LV, Lannate SP, M1 LV, M1 SP, Nudrin LV, Nudrin SP) at 0.225 to 0.9 lb ai/A. PHI for roots 21 days or 30 days if tops are fed to livestock. REI 48 hr. Do not apply more than 4.5 lb ai/A per crop. Do not apply more than 10 times per crop.
  • neem oil (Ecoworks EC)-See label for rates. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • pyrethrins (Lynx EC 1.4, Lynx EC 5.0, PyGanic EC 1.4, Tersus)-See label for rates. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • pyrethrins/Beauveria bassiana (BotaniGard Maxx, and Xpectro OD)-See label for rates. Do not reapply for at least 3 days. In case of extreme pest pressure, wait a minimum of 24 hr before reapplying. Do not harvest until spray has dried.
  • pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide (Evergreen Crop Protection EC 60-6, Pyrenone,Pyronyl Crop Spray, and others)-See label for rates.
  • spinosad (Radiant SC) at 0.05 to 0.0625 lb ai/A. For suppression only. Do not apply more than 0.25 lb ai/A per crop. PHI 7 days. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • zeta-cypermethrin-
    • (Mustang) at 0.028 to 0.05 lb ai/A. PHI 50 days. Do not apply more than 0.15 lb ai/A per season (at planting/foliar applications). Apply with ground or air equipment using enough water to fully cover foliage.
    • (Mustang Maxx) at 0.014 to 0.025 lb ai/A. PHI 50 days for tops or roots. Do not apply more than 0.075 lb ai/A per season. REI 12 hr. Apply by air or ground using minimum of 2 gal per acre by air and 10 gal per acre by ground.