Topic: Flea beatles

[Crystalmoon]

Hi everyone, all the things Im growing from seed directly at my lotty have been very badly attacked by flea beatles. I dont know how they have got to the seedlings though as all were sown in raised beds in fresh growbag compost then covered with fleece or plastic. There were no weeds in the area over winter or before planting as I have black membrane down so in theory the beatles didnt have anywhere nearby to live. The fleece hasnt been raised at all until today when I did some thinning & weeding. The plastic has only had the tip of a hose popped under it for watering.
How did the pests get in? ???
I was so disappointed to see all my lovely seedlings covered in holes, turnips, radish, salad leaves you name it they have nibbled it ::)
I grow organically but really am fed up with these pests so was wondering is there anything not too toxic I can use to kill them?
I wasnt expecting trouble from them until the summer,guess the freakishly hot April brought them early :'(

[pigeonseed]

Those little b***ers! I saw a suggestion on the gardeners world site to flick the plants with sticky traps so they jump up and get stuck. Sounds like you'll get through quite a bit of sticky paper!

[Crystalmoon]

Hi Pigeonseed, thats what I usually do in the summer, spread vaseline on card & flick the plants. It does work well but Im just so fed up with them now I want to exterminate them all :o :D Tomorrow I may feel more mercy for them. Just cant work out how they got in there though (scratching head)

[telboy]

Hi Crystalmoon,
Flea beetle is just one of those pests!
If you're not averse to 'Derris' try it, otherwise keeping the seedlings moist helps.
Good luck!

[Crystalmoon]

Hi Telboy Ive never used Derris before but think I wil have to buy some incase the flea beetles continue to be a problem this year.

[Bugloss2009]

derris is banned........

[Crystalmoon]

Oh dear thats the end of that idea then ::)
Thanks for letting me know Bugloss

[Bugloss2009]

they're really only a minor annoyance anyway, and only at the start of the season. For us they only stop us having turnip greens which I quite like, and are I believe more nutritious that turnips themselves  :)

[BarriedaleNick]

This year is the first for me in that I havent been mullered by the flea beatle - Unfortunately I have no idea why but my rocket and radishes are hole free for the first time in years...

[Crystalmoon]

Well Ive got a radish harvest despite the flea beetles & my turnips seem to be coping ok. The salad leaves look awful but still taste ok.

I put tightly pegged fleece & pvc covers on the beds as soon as I sowed the seeds so do you think the beetles were already there in the soil of my raised beds?

As I know the buggers have been very active in the beds is there any way to make sure I kill them off including larve before I resow? 

I usually grow organically but am willing to try anything to clear the raised beds even if it means leaving them empty for a month or two to let the poisons wear off etc. 
Many thanks for any help.