Dang it all - what to do about flea beetles?

[MountainMeg]

Just found teeny tiny jumpy little bugs on my eggplants.  Seems that I have a flea beetle problem which doesn't sound good.  Any advice on negating this little bug?

[Dame]

We live in canola producing country and flea beetles love canola.  I simply do not grow turnips anymore because of these critters.  One cigarette, taylor made, tobacco into a littre of water and left overnight prior to applying directly to the plants will discourage them.

Bare ground overwinter will reduce the numbers; they overwinter in the trash cover on the ground. 

They will pick a narrow selection of crops to attack each season.  I generally simply forgo whatever they are being obsesive about for the year.  Last year it was radish; this year it appears to be the arugula.

Or you can go and get a recommended for flea beetle insecticide from the store.  Not my choise and using insecticide may trigger cronic medical conditions.

[Lady Lilya]

How about (food grade) diatomaceous earth?  It is supposed to be really effective against all bugs, but perfectly safe for humans. 

I just ordered some to try on my cat, since he has developed a case of mites.  A lot of my friends swear by it.  They use it for all kinds of 6-legged pests.

Supposedly, you can even take it orally as a parasite killer. 

From what I have read, the only harm it can cause is to dry out your skin if you get a lot of exposure.

[Dame]

Given how the little critters work, if they leave one thing alone they pick on something else.  For me the diatomaceous earth is cost prohibative over the entire garden, even if I exclude the vegies they do not seem to like.  This year we are fortunate.  No ajoining fields are in canola.

[Lady Lilya]

Yeah, I can see how it would be too expensive.  I just need to cover a 12 lb cat. 

[Beeherder]

Diatomaceous earth is effective against most ground crawlers, like earwigs and potato beetles. I always wear an N-95 mask when applying this stuff. My understanding is that it works because the bugs ingest it, and it acts like cut glass in their intestines causing internal "bleeding" (or whatever the use in the circulatory system). The bugs may actually live a few more days but the stop eating and waste away.

Will this have a similar effect on kitty? As in all things, size matters so maybe mamals are not as affected. I'd be very cautious about putting it on pets or people. I could be way off base here but sometimes caution in the face of the unknown can be a good thing.

 

Anybody have better information?

[The Future]

I have seen it in cleansing supplements.  Quantity could matter.

[Lady Lilya]

The one I ordered is sold as being for pets.  It even comes in a shaker jar. 

I've been told to make sure it is food grade, because the other stuff often has additives.

I've been told to put a teaspoon of it in his food to kill internal parasites.

[Beeherder]

Thank you. Now I have more information.

[Dame]

Could you give me a name of the stuff specifically for pets please, and possibly a source.  And, how long has your cat been on it?  Have you noticed any negative symptoms?  This has got to be a better solution for intestinal parasites in cats and I am presuming dogs than the pills from the vets.

[MountainMeg]

Mom suggested one squirt of Murphy's Oil Soap, one pinch of Miracle Gro in a sprayer as a first try.  My eggplants are near the tomatoes which I guess don't like tobaccy.  The cigarette solution will be my 2nd line of defense.  Now if I just knew someone who smoked so I didn't have to spend $5.75 per pack...   

[Dame]

Most smokers are happy to sell you one at cost, even if they have never seen you before.  There is bound to be someone who smokes at the local sports bar/roadhouse or faximile.  Ask the bartender to announce your request, they will likely be amused.

[Lady Lilya]

Could you give me a name of the stuff specifically for pets please, and possibly a source.  And, how long has your cat been on it?  Have you noticed any negative symptoms?  This has got to be a better solution for intestinal parasites in cats and I am presuming dogs than the pills from the vets.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00127Q860/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

That is the one I ended up ordering. 

I didn't receive it yet. 

I also applied eucalyptus oil to all the bedding in the house, and that has dramatically reduced the number of mites I have found on my own body.  Eucalyptus is way too expensive of a solution to keep bugs off of crops. 

[Beeherder]

One of the approaches to organic beekeeping uses a technique called IPM or Integrated Pest Management. Basicly you do things to make the bees stronger. But I extended the concept to the garden when I learned that cilantro keeps almost everything out and parsley takes care of just about everything els. So I have the parsley trees and the cilantro forest. I let them both go to seed and scatter as much as they want until they become a nuisance where I'm doing somthing else. No bad bugs in there. And when I let the sunflowers come up (there are 3 distinct volunteers here) they seem to attract lady bugs, again no bad bugs here those ladies really know how to keep my garden free of aphids (well they eat most of em anyway). And the only time I let wasps hang out without harassment or chasing by me is when they come to eat the bad bugs off my tall sunflowers and whatever. Its a big tent there's probably room for everybody just no overcrowding please.

[Dame]

Cilantro does not seem to deter the asparagus beetles.  Perhaps I need to try parsley instead, and as it is shorter would not compete as well with the asparagus.