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Adult flea beetles and damage to a dichondra leaf.

Turfgrass

Dichondra Flea Beetle

Scientific Name: Chaetocnema repens

(Reviewed 6/03, updated 6/03)

In this Guideline:

Description of the pest
Susceptible species
Damage
Management

DESCRIPTION OF THE PEST
Eggs are laid near the soil surface and require 3 days to hatch. The soil-dwelling larvae are white, with fine bristles and a light brown head capsule. Last (fourth) instar larvae are about 0.17 to 0.25 inch long. The white pupae are 0.05 inch long and are found in the same depths (up to 4 inches) in the soil as the larvae. Larvae require 22 to 25 days to complete development; pupation takes about 5 days. Adults are ovoid, about 0.06 inch long, and have greatly thickened hind femora for jumping. Newly emerged adults are white for 1 day, then turn a characteristic black color with a metallic reddish bronze tinge. The antennae, front, and middle legs are reddish yellow. Adults can be observed by passing a hand over affected dichondra. The disturbed adults will jump, some of them onto your hand or arm. Dichondra flea beetle overwinters as an adult.

SUSCEPTIBLE SPECIES
Dichondra and bermudagrass.

DAMAGE
Dichondra flea beetles seriously damage dichondra, causing many dichondra lawns to be replaced with grass turf. Larvae feed between May and October on small roots and the outsides of larger roots. This injury causes dichondra to wilt and die; often large patches are affected. Adults feed on dichondra leaves, producing distinctive crescent marks on the upper surface. Severely skeletonized plants may wither; however, this symptom is most likely caused by larval root feeding. Larval populations can be assessed by placing turf soil cores in a Berlese funnel and extracting the larvae.

The dichondra flea beetle has also been found damaging common and hybrid bermudagrass in California. Symptoms include overall appearance of lack of water or fertilizer burn. First signs of damage appear in March and decrease in September as temperatures drop. Individual leaf blades have white linear banding along the length of the leaf blade. Occasionally the turf becomes bleached out in appearance.

MANAGEMENT
Treat for dichondra flea beetle if populations are high enough that damage may occur.

Common name

(trade name) Amount/1000 sq ft

Many of these products are available for use by licensed applicators only and cannot be used by home gardeners.

A. ACEPHATE

(Orthene Turf, Tree, and 1-1.9 oz

Ornamental Spray)

COMMENTS: For use on golf courses and sod farms only. Odorous. Up to 2.4 oz material/1000 sq.ft. can be used for black cutworm on turfgrass. Apply in 25 gal water/1000 sq ft.

B. DELTAMETHRIN

(DeltaGard T & O) G 2 lb

COMMENTS: Not for use on sod farms or in commercial seed production. For best results, irrigate with an adequate quantity of water to thoroughly moisten grass and thatch and to dissolve the granules.

PUBLICATION

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Turfgrass
UC ANR Publication 3365-T
Insects and Mites
H. S. Costa, Entomology, UC Riverside
R. S. Cowles, Entomology, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Windsor, CT
M. A. Harivandi, UC Cooperative Extension, Alameda Co.
J. Hartin, UC Cooperative Extension, San Bernardino Co.
H. K. Kaya, Nematology, UC Davis
Acknowledgment for contributions to the insect and mite section:
K. Kido, Entomology, UC Riverside

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