Pea and bean weevils

Adult pea and bean weevil can cause distinctive notch-like damage to the leaf margins of pea and broad bean plants in spring. This can be alarming but in most cases does not affect the growth of the crop.

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Pea and bean weevil adult damage on broad beans
Pea and bean weevil adult damage on broad beans

Quick facts

Common name Pea and bean weevil
Scientific name Sitona lineatus
Plants affected Broad bean and garden pea
Main cause Adult beetles eating the leaf margins
Timing April- July

What is pea and bean weevil?

Pea and bean weevils are beetles that eat the leaf margins and shoot tips of garden peas and broad bean, causing characteristic notch-like damage. This does not usually affect cropping. 

There are nearly 500 species of weevil (Curculionidae) in Britain. All feed on plant material but most are unlikely to occur in gardens. Many of those that are found in gardens do not significantly damage garden plants and can be treated as part of the biodiversity that gardens support.  Pea and been weevil belongs to the subfamily Entiminae, also known as the broad nosed weevils due to the short stout rostrum.  There are over 100 species of broad nosed weevils found in Britain, including the notorious vine weevil. 
UK beetles information on broad nosed weevils. 
 
 

Symptoms

Adult pea and bean weevil is greyish brown and are 4-5mm long. They tend to drop to the ground when disturbed, so can be difficult to find. Their feeding activities are readily detected as the beetles eat a series of U-shaped notches around the edges of the leaves. The larvae feed unseen underground on the plants' root nodules, this has limited effects on the crop in the home garden.

The amount of leaf area lost to pea and bean weevils is generally small, even when the foliage has been extensively nibbled. Established pea and broad bean plants can tolerate this damage, but there may be a check in growth if small seedlings are heavily damaged.

Control

Control is usually unnecessary as plants can generally tolerate damage from these insects.

Ensuring seedlings are healthy can mitigate any damage. Cold dry spells in spring check plant growth more than weevil activity. Covering with fleece or cloches can help plants outgrow damage. Keeping seedlings watered so they grow quickly through the more vulnerable stages. Older plants generally tolerate the leaf damage and so the weevils do not need control.

Biology

Pea and bean weevil overwinters as adult beetles that hide away in leaf litter and other sheltered places. Eggs are laid during late spring in the surface layers of the soil near suitable host plants, such as broad bean and garden peas. The larvae are creamy white legless grubs with pale brown heads. They feed on the nitrogen-fixing nodules on their host plants' roots but do not usually affect the plants growth in garden and allotments. When fully grwon the larvae pupate in the soil, with adult beetles emerging in late summer. There is only one generation per year.

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