Sweet Potato Flea Beetle – Chaetocnema confinis

Sweetpotato Flea Beetle – Chaetocnema confinis   Scientific name: Chaetocnema confinis Common name: Sweetpotato flea beetle   Appearance: Sweetpotato flea beetle is a small glossy, black-bronze beetle ranging in size from 1.4-1.8 mm. The hard forewing or elytra has tiny depressions.   Host plants or food: Sweetpotato flea beetle mostly feed on sweetpotato, water spinach, cucumbers, bean, and cabbage.   Territory: Throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia   Mode of damage: Sweetpotato flea beetles are leaf chewers and damage the plant by scraping the topmost layer of the foliage. This results in irregular, thin marks on the surface of the leaves, which may lead to rot.   Habits and life history   Sweetpotato flea beetle overwinters under plant debris and emerges as adults in late Spring, during the spring season. The female beetles lay eggs near the base of the plant, which hatch in 7 to 14 days, giving rise to creamy white larvae. The worm-like larvae feed on the roots, pupate, and become adults. The entire life cycle takes about a month to complete. The adult beetles jump when disturbed.