PEA WEEVIL

A. Life stages (greatly enlarged): a, adult; b, pupa, c, larva; d, egg. B, Stem of pea vine with life-size adult in bloom, e. C, Small pod with several eggs attached. D. Larva in seed (considerably enlarged).

PEA WEEVIL

The pea weevil is a hazard in the production of all peas whenever extensive acreages are harvested as dry peas. The adult weevils fly into the pea fields when the plants begin to bloom. The eggs are laid on the living green pods only. The tiny grubs that hatch from the eggs burrow into the green peas, where they develop as the pea develops. As a result, they are found in green peas harvested for canning. The grubs become full-grown some time after the normal crop matures. If they are allowed to continue feeding, the seed will not germinate. The adult weevils emerge from the seed in late summer and fall and seek a protected place to pass the winter. They do not attack mature seed. There is only one generation a year.

Control: Dust the infested parts of the fields with insecticides during the early-bloom stage before the eggs of the weevils are laid. Use an insect net to determine where the weevils occur. The insecticide dusts should contain not less than 0.75 percent of rotenone or 5 percent of either DDT or methoxychlor. Apply at 20 pounds per acre. Repeat in 3 or 4 days if necessary. Do not feed pea plants treated with DDT to milk animals or to meat animals being finished for slaughter.

Plant only weevil-free seed. Reduce to a minimum the shatter of dry peas at harvest. Destroy harvest refuse. Do not allow rubbish to accumulate around the pea fields and farm buildings for weevils to overwinter in.