A: That’s the work of flea beetles, the bane of eggplants. Flea beetles are tiny black bugs that chew holes in leaves like someone peppered them with miniature buckshot. They’ll attack mustard, radishes and sometimes cole crops, but eggplant is their favorite.
What is the major pest of eggplant?
Eggplant – a solanaceous crop – has some of the same pests as pepper, potato, and tomato. The eggplant flea beetle and the eggplant lace bug are common pests, but twospotted spider mites can be more damaging.
What is the best pesticide for eggplant?
Strategies for Insect Management in Eggplant
| Active Ingredient | Examples of Product Names |
|---|---|
| Bifenthrin | Monterey Mite & Insect Control Conc. Ferti-Lome Broad Spectrum Insecticide |
| Cyfluthrin | Bayer BioAdvanced Vegetable & Garden Insect Spray |
| Gamma-cyhalothrin | Spectracide Triazicide Insect Killer for Lawns & Landscapes |
Do Aphids eat eggplant?
Damage. The primary damage caused by aphids to eggplants is the production of sticky honeydew and subsequent growth of black sooty mold on the honeydew. They can also stunt plants by feeding on them early in the season before bloom. There do not appear to be any serious virus problems associated with aphid infestations
How do you control eggplant mites?
Eggplant-Spider mite
- azadirachtin (neem oil)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
- bifenthrin (usually as a mix with zeta-cypermethrin).
- horticultural oil-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
- insecticidal soap-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
How do I get rid of aphids on my eggplant?
You can often control aphids by wiping or spraying the leaves of the plant with a mild solution of water and a few drops of dish soap. Soapy water should be reapplied every 2-3 days for 2 weeks.
What is putting holes in my eggplant?
The tiny holes are likely due to flea beetles. Flea beetles are the most common pest of eggplant in the home garden. Adults are tiny, shiny, black beetles. They possess large hind legs that enable them to jump.
What does an overwatered eggplant look like?
An overwatered eggplant will also show symptoms of this problem on its leaves. Look for leaves that feel wet, soft, and limp. More symptoms of overwatering include premature leaf drop of new growth and soft, brown, or mushy roots that prevent the plant from taking water, causing leaf curl and wilting.
What kind of bugs eat eggplant leaves?
Adult flea beetles chew numerous small holes in the foliage and stems of seedlings and young eggplants. Light infestations make the plant look like it has been peppered with tiny buckshot. Affected leaves turn brown and appear diseased.
What do you spray on eggplant leaves?
Organic options are neem oil, garlic-based sprays, rotenone, pyrethrins and Pyola (a canola oil and pyrethrins combo from www.gardensalive.com.) You might need to spray every week or so through August, when flea beetles taper off for the season.
How do I protect my eggplant from flea beetles?
For eggplant, drape the row cover over hoops – don’t let the material lay directly on plants. Spray a product like “Surround”, which are repellents made from kaolin clay mixed with water. They create a particle barrier after drying that inhibits flea beetles and greatly reduces feeding.
How do you get rid of aphids permanently?
How to Get Rid of Aphids Naturally and Permanently
- Always remember, prevention is better than cure.
- Use push and pull strategy.
- Use yellow stick traps.
- Use natural enemies otherwise known as biological control of aphids.
- Create biodiversity in your garden.
- Rub them away.
- Apply water with high pressure (hosing)
Should I prune my eggplants?
ANSWER: Eggplants, like fellow nightshade family member tomatoes benefit from staking and pruning. In fact, eggplant actually produces more fruit when pruned. Pruning eggplant can also improve the fruit quality of the plant, and decrease the plant’s susceptibility to disease.
How do you get rid of tiny black bugs?
Mix baking soda with sugar and water. Apply the bait in the places where you are likely to encounter the little black bugs. Sugar will make this trap practically irresistible for a lot of insects. But as soon as the insects eat the mixture, baking soda will start to release carbon dioxide gas that will kill the pests.
What are these tiny black bugs?
If the tiny black bugs have wings, they’re probably gnats.
Depending on their species, some gnats feed on crop pests, while others are crop pests. Some bite and feed on plants, insects, and blood, while others are non-biting. Alternatively, the bugs may be phorid humpbacked flies.
What are tiny black bugs that look like seeds?
Thrips. Thrips range from clear to black and can resemble 1/20-inch-long seeds, and the excrement they leave behind can look like black seeds. As they feed, thrips emit their black droppings on leaves.
Do coffee grounds deter flea beetles?
Coffee grounds are a good repellent for flea beetles, but to get rid of them, the best and most effective option is diatomaceous earth, which will dehydrate the pests on contact.
What are the black bugs on my plants?
By far the most common types of houseplant bugs are fungus gnats (also known as soil gnats). They are those annoying little black gnats that you’ll see flying around houseplants, and crawling in the soil.
What does a flea beetle look like?
What Do Flea Beetles Look Like? Up close, flea beetles look like tiny beetles. They’re shiny, and can appear to be black, brown or even bluish in color. Some species may even have spots or stripes.
What does a spider mite infestation look like?
The first thing you’re likely to notice is patterns of silvery dots or stippling on the leaves of your plant. Looking closer, you will see small, delicate webs in corners of stems or underneath leaves with what look like tiny white dots scattered throughout. Those are spider mites!
Are spider mites black?
Under a magnifying glass, it’s clear that spider mites come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. But these pests are incredibly small—we’re talking one millimeter at most, which is about how thick a credit card is! To the naked eye, spider mites just look like red, yellow, black or brown moving dots.