And they can produce up to eight generations per year. They can range in color from light yellow to dark brown. Adults have wings, while the immature insects don’t. Thrips are small, usually about a third of an inch in length. When mature, they are about a third of an inch long. The bugs have black and red or yellow spotted bodies with flat, shield-like shells. As they feed, the broccoli plants start to wilt and turn yellow or brown. They feed on plants by piercing them and sucking out the sap. They can quickly ruin your home harvest too if you don’t keep them in check. Harlequin bugs ( Murgantia histrionica) are a common pest in the southern half of the US, where they can cause serious financial losses by destroying commercial crucifer crops. Learn more about how to control flea beetles in our guide. This makes it more challenging for the beetles to find their favorite foods.Īnise, dill, chamomile, marigold, and clover are good options for companion planting, since they attract insects like damselbugs and lacewings, which are flea beetle predators. It’s also a good idea to separate broccoli plants from each other with other non-cruciferous plants. They prevent the beetles from landing on your crops in the first place. But they can also spread disease, so you should address an infestation before it causes more problems.Įven better, plan ahead to avoid having flea beetles visit your veggie patch in the first place.Ĭrop rotation, removing debris from the garden in the fall, and keeping weeds out throughout the season will go a long way towards discouraging these annoying pests. If the damage ended there, you could safely just ignore them.
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