Information about Pea Weevils

Pea Weevil: Its scientific name is Bruchus pisorum and it is very unpopular with Petra Pea and with pea farmers.

* The pea weevil infests peas. The adult weevil is a chunky beetle about 5 mm long. Pea weevils are one of the major pests which attack field peas. When peas are damaged by weevils, their value decreases. (Who wants to eat peas that had grubs crawling around inside them?!) This means less money for the farmers who grew them, so pea weevils aren't very popular with pea farmers. If the people overseas who buy Australian peas find one single live pea weevil in a shipload of peas, they reject the whole lot!

In the winter, adult pea weevils live in trees, sheds, anywhere they can shelter. When temperatures go above 18° C or so, they come out and fly to the edge of the nearest pea crop.

* pic source: Grain Legume Handbook, Riverton South Australia.