Their body is milky white and cylindrical with a dark head capsule and three sets of legs, located immediately behind the head. Some species bodies tend to taper toward the head. On rare occasions, root feeding by larvae can cause economic damage to corn. Eggs are white, oblong, and very small. Most flea beetle species overwinter in the adult stage.
Adults reside in field rows, roadsides, and other protected areas to overwinter.
In the spring, the adults migrate out of their overwintering site as soon as adequate vegetation is available for feeding and egg deposition. Eggs are deposited on plant leaves or in the soil around the root systems of host plants. The larvae hatch and feed on the root systems of host plants. The feeding and developmental characteristics of flea beetles are not well studied. Most species complete one or two generations during the growing season.