Flea Beetle Battle
@JamesHxstatic (29327)
Eugene, Oregon
August 14, 2018 2:03pm CST
I like arugula in my salads and we like our nasturtiums too. We had some of both growing rapidly and were able to have arugula every day if we wanted. Suddenly, the leaves of both of these plants were perforated. Tiny holes appeared in almost every leaf. They were edible, but not appetizing. Anne spotted the tiny black bug that was doing the damage and I Googled, "What is making tiny holes in my arugula?"
The answer came immediately and it is a common problem. Our culprits were all tiny black beetles. These things come in a variety of colors, I guess. Their name comes from their ability to jump like fleas.
The internet suggested various remedies, some poisonous, (no thanks) and one that I could try immediately. These little pests are repelled by the smell of rosemary and we have two big plants. I cut a sprig and put a lot of in the planters and pots where our good plants are and Poof! No more beetles!
I will refresh the rosemary regularly and hope it keeps working.
Any insect beetle battles at your house?
17 people like this
16 responses
@lady1993 (27225)
• Philippines
16 Aug 18
@JamesHxstatic yeah, but it was nice of you to get rid of them in a way that is not harmful to them
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29327)
• Eugene, Oregon
16 Aug 18
@lady1993 I have little compassion for pests like that. I just don't like to use pesticides on food.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29327)
• Eugene, Oregon
16 Aug 18
I mind if they eat the stuff I want to eat.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
14 Aug 18
not yet but i watch for it every day. glad you found a way and are passing it on to us.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130233)
• India
15 Aug 18
I am glad you did not use poison. They too have a aright to live but not in your garden
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29327)
• Eugene, Oregon
15 Aug 18
And the poison would kill many other things and would not to eat the stuff it had been on.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326432)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Aug 18
Someone in our district has curly leaf in their peach trees. My Mum always had Dad cut some eucalypt branches and poke them up through the peach trees and this would stop the curly leaf. I'm not sure if curly leaf was insect-borne or what.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29327)
• Eugene, Oregon
15 Aug 18
Eucalyptus is another very fragrant plant. That is interesting.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
15 Aug 18
When I plant a field of greens the "bugs" love the turnip greens first and the curly mustard next. Rex another writer you may know from bubble, told me to use Neem oil and it works great.
I actually bought seed yesterday.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29327)
• Eugene, Oregon
15 Aug 18
Anne has sprayed it all with Neem oil too. I caught some more of those critters jumping around on the arugula so I cut fresh rosemary and scattered it all over the plants.
@dgobucks226 (34445)
•
14 Aug 18
Nice remedy! I did have an issue with insects which damaged part of my evergreens in the past. I am now prepared with a treatment I got from Home Depot so this does not occur again.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170763)
• United States
14 Aug 18
Perpetually, they rule here! Another reason to want cold weather.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16548)
• China
21 Aug 18
The rosemary seems to work wonders.It is a real pest biological control.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Aug 18
No beetles here. Aphids and little bugs do attack plants.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29327)
• Eugene, Oregon
14 Aug 18
They sure do. Anne is fighting aphids on her roses.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29327)
• Eugene, Oregon
14 Aug 18
I think it is the strong fragrance of that herb.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159650)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Aug 18
Good for rosemary. No insect battles here now. We have had enough. I wonder if pepper would do the trick. I know it works on mites that get on the roses.
@Marilynda1225 (80038)
• United States
15 Aug 18
Good thing you found that rosemary works for repelling those beetles. I always like something natural rather than resorting to pesticides.