Painted Soldier Fly vs Eggplant Flea Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Painted Soldier Fly Eggplant Flea Beetle
Scientific Name Sargus cuprarius Epitrix fuscula
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Stratiomyidae Chrysomelidae
Size 10-14 mm 1.5-2.5 mm
Habitat Underground Farmland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Painted Soldier Fly

A brilliantly metallic coppery-green soldier fly with a slender body and clear wings. It basks on sunlit vegetation and is often seen on hogweed and other umbellifers.

💡

Did You Know?

Its metallic sheen changes color depending on the viewing angle, a phenomenon called structural coloration.

Eggplant Flea Beetle

A small dark beetle that creates dense shothole feeding damage on eggplant and potato leaves. Heavy infestations can stunt seedlings and reduce yields significantly.

💡

Did You Know?

Row covers placed over seedlings at transplanting are one of the most effective non-chemical controls for this pest.