Syneta beetle
Syneta albida
1 host plant
Last updated
Syneta beetles are metallic green and about one-quarter inch long. Adults skeletonize leaves on flowering Prunus species and some ornamental shrubs, leaving only the leaf veins. Damage appears as lacy, translucent foliage in summer. Heavy feeding can result in wholesale defoliation of small plants or branch dieback on larger trees.
Encourage natural parasitoids and predators by maintaining flowering plants nearby and avoiding pesticides. Hand-pick beetles from smaller plants during active feeding. For severe defoliation, prune affected branches below the feeding damage. Spinosad applied to foliage when adults are most active (mid to late June) provides suppression without harming beneficial insects.
Quick Reference
Adults are up to about 0.4 inch in length, creamy or yellowish. The larvae are grub-like, white with a brown head. Syneta beetles emerge in early spring. They may emerge and require control between early popcorn and petal fall. Adults chew holes in foliage and fruit stems. Most feeding damage on fruit is pinhead-sized and smaller. Immature cherries are scarred and deformities result. Cherries are the most affected host, but pear, plum, prune, apple, and various nut trees may also be affected....