Pollen beetles
Prevent damage to ornamental and brassica flowers by pollen beetles, by following tips from our guide.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time to act | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
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.
Year Planner 2025 on sale
Starting to plan your gardening year? The Year Planner 2025 is packed with expert advice from the Gardeners’ World team, to ensure you have your best gardening year yet.
New podcast series
Join Monty and the team for advice on winter gardening, tulips, caring for birds, house plants and more in the new BBC Gardeners' World Magazine podcast series.
