Pollen beetles - small, shiny and bronze - tipped from feeding on pollen inside a flowerhead

Pollen beetles

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Thursday, 14 March 2019 at 3:00 pm

Prevent damage to ornamental and brassica flowers by pollen beetles, by following tips from our guide.

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In spring and summer, pollen beetles fly in from nearby oilseed rape crops to gather in open flowers where they feed on ripe pollen. Mostly, the beetles do little harm although occasionally they may nibble into unopened flower buds and damage the developing flowers of cauliflowers.

Symptoms

Flower heads are infested with small bronze-green shiny beetles that spread pollen over petals.

Find it on

shasta daisies, sweet peas, cauliflowers, many ornamentals and vegetables

Organic

Pollen beetles can be a nuisance if you want to bring cut flowers indoors. Stand the flowers in a bucket somewhere dark for a few hours, say a shed, but near to a bright window or lamp. The beetles will fly up towards the light. Grow brassica crops under fleece or very fine mesh netting.

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