There have been numerous reports of pale striped flea beetle in cotton around the Five Points area of Fresno County. Population densities of 20-30/50 sweeps have been found, causing some concern among PCAs. The most common species is the pale striped flea beetle, Systena blanda.

In most cases, flea beetle is usually a problem on seedling cotton, not on blooming cotton according to IPM Manual for Cotton in the Western US.

The manual states: "Flea beetles, small beetles with enlarge hind legs that enable them to jump, chew small round holes or pits in cotyledons and young leaves. They

Pale striped flea beetle bract damage

However, given enough beetles moving into a cotton field at one time, damage can occur. One field I observed in late July had over 500 beetles for 50 sweeps and caused considerable leaf damage in the lower canopy. The source of beetles were neighboring alfalfa fields which were recently cut and water stressed.

Damage to the leaves was mainly superficial feeding. Leaves were not tattered nor did they display

Pale striped flea beetle leaf damage on cotton

While not normally a damaging pest to mature cotton, high population densities of pale striped beetle can potentially cause damage at any stage of growth.

Damage to cotton caused by pale striped leaf beetle