Crucifer and striped flea beetles on the Canadian prairies

Crucifer and striped flea beetles are the most damaging early-season pest of canola on the prairies. These beetles survive Alberta’s winter by entering diapause, then emerge in the spring and immediately begin feeding on young canola plants. Despite their economic impact, very little is known about how flea beetles survive winter or what triggers their spring emergence! As a result, it is difficult for growers to predict when feeding will begin or how severe out breaks will be. This is made increasingly urgent as winter temperatures warm with climate change, potentially shifting the distribution of flea beetle populations or the timing of their emergence.

With collaborators at the University of Alberta, Dr. Boyd Mori and Dr. David Stuart, we are exploring the phenology, overwintering physiology, and putative targets for novel dsRNA pesticides in both crucifer and striped flea beetles on the Canadian prairies.