Pea and Bean Weevil
Scientific group or name: Sitona lineatus
Overview
Adult pea and bean weevils make characteristic notches around leaf margins, while larvae feed around root nodules.
Host plants
Peas, broad beans and related legumes.
Identification
Adults are small grey-brown weevils with a short snout. Leaf-edge notching is often the first obvious sign.
Damage and symptoms
Adult damage is usually cosmetic on established plants but can check seedlings. Larval feeding may reduce nitrogen-fixing root nodules.
Lifecycle and favourable conditions
Adults move into crops during spring, particularly from neighbouring legumes and field margins.
Monitoring
Inspect seedlings for repeated U-shaped notches and search around plants for adults.
Management
Encourage rapid crop establishment, manage volunteer legumes and use physical protection for small vulnerable plantings.
Biological control and natural enemies
Naturally occurring predators and parasitoids contribute, but there is no universal stand-alone biological programme.
Biological control should be selected only after the pest has been identified and the crop, temperature, growing environment and pest pressure have been considered.
Related BioWiki pages
This page provides general integrated pest-management information. Identification and control decisions should be confirmed for the crop and local situation.