There are several species of flea beetles that will defoliate sugar beets. They are somewhat oval-shaped with the hind legs being enlarged. They jump when disturbed and hide under the leaves of sugar beet seedlings. Flea beetles generally move into fields from the edge or headland. The younger the plants being attacked, the more significant the injury.
Wireworms are one of the most difficult insects to detect and one of the hardest to control.
They will completely consume the inside of a germinating beet seed. It will also consume any fresh tissue of seedlings and can significantly reduce plant stands. If you have seedling emergence that is somewhat irregular, start digging for wireworms in the soil around the seed or seedling. Wireworms are elongate, heavily segmented, pale yellow to brown wire-like worms that vary in length from to 1 inches. They tend to prefer lighter textured soils.