Although plant bed damage is usually not severe, the beds may serve as a breeding site from which the beetles may move into the fields. The most severe damage usually results either immediately after transplanting or at harvest. The early damage results when beetles are attracted to plants that have wilted after transplanting. Heavy feeding on the small bud leaves of the newly transplanted plants may stunt and sometimes kill these small transplants. Later damage results as beetles keep concentrating further up the plant as lower leaves are harvested.
Numerous materials are available for control of flea beetles in the fields.
Budworms may damage tobacco in one of two ways. The direct damage is the actual leaf area that is destroyed by feeding. That may be significant in itself. But, early season feeding on the bud may also cause stunting of the plant, thus reducing yield both directly and indirectly. The most susceptible period to damage by the budworm is the 1st four weeks after transplanting.