Pea weevil

Classification

Primary pest; Grain feeder
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Chrysomelidae
Acronym: BPI

Description

• Adults are 6 to 7 mm long, globular in shape with long legs
• Elytra do not reach the end of the abdomen, leaving the last terga exposed
• Last abdominal terga is covered with black and white setae and the inner ridge of the ventral margin of the hind femur has a single spine
• Larvae are white and grub-like, having reduced legs

Similar species

• Bean weevil (Acanthoscelides obtectus)
• Southern cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus chinensis)

Commodities affected

• Peas

Signs of infestation

• Damaged seeds with entrance or exit holes as described in “Damage”

Damage

• Damage is distinctive.
• Both adult and larvae feed on the inside of seeds.
• Feeding causes tiny, dot-like entrance holes.
• Feeding also causes larger, round exit holes with a diameter of 2.5 mm and excavated seed.
• Large populations may reduce stored crop to little more than dust.

How to control

• Control grain insect pests

Geographic range

• Is distributed worldwide
• Is distributed across Canada

Where found

• Weevils attacks peas that are grown in gardens and fields.
• Infestation results in seeds that may not germinate or produce weak plants.
• Weevils cannot persist in storage as they cannot re-infest stored seed.
• Main sources of pea weevil are broken peas, volunteer peas and stored infested seed.

Life history

• Females lay eggs on outside of pod.
• Larvae develop in growing seeds within pods.
• Larvae develop in growing or stored bean seeds.
• After pupation within the seed, the adult chews an exit hole through the seed coat.