Crucifer Flea Beetle
Phyllotreta cruciferae (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

• Introduced into North America from Eurasia in the 1920's, the crucifer flea beetle is now distributed across the grasslands of southern Canada and the northern U.S.A.
• The crucifer flea beetle's hosts include cabbage, turnip, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, canola, and related vegetables (e.g., sugar beets; tomatoes; horseradish; radish; potatoes) and weeds (e.g., flixweed; peppergrass; wild mustard; stinkweed; lamb's quarters) in the cruciferid group. It has often been reported as the most abundant flea beetle on canola.

• Burgess, L. 1977. Flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) attacking rape crops in the Canadian prairie provinces. Canadian Entomologist 125: 1011-1021.
• Burgess, L. 1981. Winter sampling to determine overwintering sites and estimate density of adult flea beelte pests of rape (Coleoptera: Chyrsomelidae). Canadian Entomologist 113: 441-447.
• Kinoshita, G.B., Svec, H.J., Harris, C.R., McEwen F.L. 1979. Biology of the crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta crucifer (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), in southwestern Ontario. Canadian Entomologist 111(12): 1395-1407