Episode 17 - Evil Pea Weevil Strikes

I decided to scout around the crops before putting in my tips for Albert's crop tipping contest. It's going to be hard to predict the league leader at Downsanup Downs. All our crops look good, but there sure are some strange things going on in the pea crop. The pods are covered with tiny holes, and there are funny munching noises coming out of them. I should talk to Petra. She might know what's going on and help me with my tips.

I found Petra tapping away at her computer working on a story for her paper. The title caught my eye: "The Evil Pea Weevil Strikes!".

"Hey Petra, that's a scary title!" I said. "But what's a pea weevil? Where does it strike?"

The Evil Pea Weevil is the sworn enemy of us peas!" she said with anger in her voice. "It's the reason I gave up being a farm pea and turned to journalism. My goal is to find an answer to this terrible creature!"

I thought about Petra telling Chelsea how pea weevils gobbled up as much pea pollen as they could. But we plants make a lot of pollen - more than the pea weevils could eat. And it only takes a little pollen to make a seed. Maybe Petra's a bit like Albert - seeing disasters everywhere. I decided to change the subject.

"I came to ask your advice, Petra," I said. "The pea crop's got lots of seeds, and I wanted to rank it highly in the crop tipping contest, but the pods are full of holes. Do you think I should change my tip?"

"HOW CAN YOU TALK ABOUT TIPPING CONTESTS AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!" Petra shouted. "They're not just holes Billie! They're the work of the Evil Pea Weevil. Eating our pollen is just the start of the whole horrible story. Really Billie, I'm not exaggerating - the Pea Weevil is a disaster for us."

* I guess I misunderstood Petra and how bad the pea situation is. Petra explained the whole story. Turns out those holes on the pea pods are from pea weevil grubs that have burrowed into the pods. "Of course farmers can control the pea weevil by spraying," Petra continued. "But that spray costs money AND it makes me sneeze - so it's my mission to search the world for a better way to defeat our enemy." I certainly wish her luck.

Speaking of luck - what about the crop tipping contest? Can the pea weevil hurt Chelsea and her gang? Will I need to
change my tips? Now that's another story...

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