In the second year of our trials did we have to put up with a number of small holes in the leaves. At first we considered the beatle Melasoma Aenea.

  During the following year we discovered the real culprit: a small black beetle. Their jumpy behaviour of these insects confirmed our suspicion that the problem was the Flea beetle.

They are lively beetles, two or three mm large, with a bark steel-blue colour. Their upper hind legs are strongly muscled. With these they can jump large distances, the main means of recognition. The holes in the leaves are made by the adult beetles.

Normally the damage is done in the period half April till end of Mai. Sunny and dry conditions are appreciated by this pest, yet these same conditions are not suitable for good growth of the fuchsia. The Flea beetle will attack the newly rooted plants, case a lot of small holes and even contribute to the plants dying.

The tiny perforations caused by the Flea beetle can be overcome by creating ideal growing conditions for the fuchsias. The following are the ideal growing conditions:

* Ensure that the soil around the plant is worked nice and loose, kept well watered (the beetle becomes a pest after 15 May). A water-spray when dry, is also a preventive measure.

* You may endeavour to catch evil, with a 'flea beetle board'. This is a piece of wood, with on one side a sticky substance like tar or lime or even sugar syrup. The board is to moved just above the plants in a swaying motion. The beetle will be started by the motion, jump up and then touch the sticky surface. In my front garden, I have successfully tried the following method; catching them between two fingers around the leaf where the beetle is described. This trick works well early in the morning when it is still cold.

* The Flea Beetle lays her eggs in the early part of the summer, a few centimeters deep into the soil. When the larvae develop to eat the plant's roots, without causing real damage. The adult beetle winter by staying hidden under fallen leaves, clumps of grass, and in the gaps of split timber. During the later part of spring, whilst it is dry and sunny, they appear. Ideal conditions apply in my front garden. As this garden is full of winter hardy fuchsias the Flea beetle causes a great deal of the unsightly little holes.

 'Gelderse Fuchsia Info-site'- Novenber 2008