Corn Flea Beetle
Return to insect pests
The corn flea beetle (Chaetocnema pulicaria) is small, black, hard-bodied insect that hops or flies quickly when disturbed. These pests overwinter as adults and become active in the early spring. Flea beetles attack young corn plants as soon as the first true leaf appears. They produce small feeding streaks, also called “windowpane” scarring, on the leaves. During wet, cold periods in the spring when corn is growing slowly, damage from this pest can be severe, but only rarely will this damage actually kill plants. The real concern from flea beetles is Stewart’s wilt, a bacterial disease of corn. The pathogen is carried inside the flea beetle, and young plants become infected as the beetles feed. Damage from Stewart’s wilt is far more severe than any leaf injury caused by the beetles.
Corn flea beetle
(Photo: UK Vegetable IPM Team, University of Kentucky)
Management:
- Wilt-resistant sweet corn varieties should be selected to prevent losses, particularly following mild winters.
- Chemical control of the beetle should not be the only protection program for Stewart’s wilt.
- Seed treatments provide good control during early plant stages.
- Foliar insecticides sprays may be needed in rare situations.
