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12 Farmers’ Bulletin 1275. 
pupa while the changes to the adult are taking place. For the gen- 
eral shape and appearance of the grub and pupa see Figures 10, 12, 
and 16, 6 and ¢, and Figure 13, ¢ The pupal cells are shown in 
Figure 22. For the general life cycle see 
Figure 3. 
THE PEA WEEVIL.’ 
The pea weevil is the most serious 
enemy of the field or garden pea. It now 
occurs over almost the entire globe wher- 
ever peas are cultivated. It is scarcely 
known, however, in the colder countries 
of northern Europe and does compara- 
tively little damage for the most part in 
Fie. 9.—Plant of garden pea the coldest sections of Canada and the 
Ssieueakees varies United States. Continuous cropping of 
have fed; at b, slits in stem; land to peas naturally leads to a constant 
sia ee we pos mm. _ increase in the number of pea weevils, as 
beetle finds its favorite shel- evidenced by the fact that garden peas 
SO ee grown almost anywhere in the United 
States, except in places in our more northern States or in high alti- 
tudes, are apt to be badly affected. This pest was causing serious 
damage to garden peas in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and southern 
New York as early as 1748. | 
The pea weevil is a small grayish or brownish-gray beetle about a 
fifth of an inch long and 
marked with black and white 
spots as shown in Figure 10. 
The short line to the right of a 
in the illustration gives the 
actual length of the beetle. 
The adults appear on the vines 
when the peas come _ into 
bloom. They are said to feed Fic. 10.—Pea weevil: a, Beetle; b, larva or 
principally on the petals of the grub; a, pupa. The line to the right of the 
pea flowers and on the suecu- adult (a) represents the actual length of the 
‘ beetle, and the sizes of the larva and pupa are 
lent tissues of the stems and in proportion. (Chittenden.) 
pods as shown in Figure 9. 
While they eat holes in the petals and gnaw out long narrow slits 
in the stems, they do not appear to damage the plants materially, as 
the damaged flowers produce normal pods and the slits in the stems 
soon heal over and do not cause wilting. 
The adults show a strong tendency to remain dormant during the 
season of the year when growing peas are not available for attack. 
® Bruchus pisorum Linnaeus. 
