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Corn Flea Beetle
(John Obermeyer, Purdue University)

Common Name: Corn Flea Beetle

Order: Coleoptera

Family: Chrysomelidae

Pest Status: Corn flea beetles may become a pest in very young corn when they strip off the outer leaf layer.

Appearance: Corn flea beetles are oval-shaped, black insects that can be tinged with bronze or blue-green. They have yellow markings on the legs and are very small (1/16-inch long).

Life Cycle: Adults become active in the spring when soil temperatures reach 65^oF. Females lay their eggs at the bases of host plants. The beetle overwinters as an adult in the soil.

Where to Collect: Adults are most active on sunny, warm, windless days. They hide in cracks in the soil during windy, cool, or cloudy periods. They are generally present in areas near cornfields, in fencerows, near roadsides and woods.