INFO-BUG
Crop Selected: Soybean
Crop Development: Bloom to pod-set
Pest Selected: Redheaded Flea Beetle (RFB), Systena frontalis
Biology
The redheaded flea beetle (RFB) is a relatively large flea beetle capable of inflicting significant foliar injury adding to the
defoliation caused by the soybean insect pest complex in general.
RFB is between 3/16 and 1/4 inch in size, but clearly smaller than most beetles on soybeans such as the bean leaf beetle.
RFB appears totally black, but on close inspection an orange red color may be detected on the head. Like all flea beetles, it has
strong hind legs enabling it to jump more than leaf beetles.
Limited information is available on RFB biology.
Assessment
Assessment of flea beetle damage to soybeans should be included in the routine assessment of insect defoliation.
Abundant activity by the redheaded flea beetle may be confirmed by sampling with a sweet net.
Control
Specific labeling of pesticides for redheaded flea beetle is rare. In general, a need for controlling flea beetles will be
associated with other members of the soybean defoliator pest complex.
| Return to Ohio IPM Home Page. |