107 



PEAS. 



Pea Weevils. Sitones lineatus, Linn, (and other species). 



V 



SiTONEP. 



1, 2, Spotted Pea Weevil; 3, 4, Striped Pea Weevil, nat. size and magnified ; 



5, gnawed leaf. 



These Pea Weevils also attack Clover and Beans, and their work 

 may be known by the leaves being eaten away from the outside. If 

 the attack is not very bad, the leaves may be only scooped away, as if 

 segments of circles were taken from the edge ; but where it is severe, 

 the mischief is carried on until only the mid-rib, or possibly only the 

 footstalk of the leaf, is left. The beetles thus destroy the plants above 

 ground, and underground the maggots feed at the plant roots. 



These weevils may be sometimes found in vast quantities when 

 Peas are being harvested towards the end of summer, and the attack 

 is very common in gardens, but in the early part of the past season it 

 was prevalent to an unusually destructive extent on the young field 

 Pea crops. 



Enquiries as to the nature of the infestation, with specimens of the 

 weevils, and reports of the dam;ige going forward, mostly to Peas, but 

 in some instances also to Beans, were sent me frequently, and some- 

 times daily from April 7th to June 4th. 



The attacks (as was to be expected) were mainly from the market- 

 gardening, or especially Pea-growing districts, as from Sandy, in 

 Bedfordshire, where the damage was very great. 



Kound Chelmsford, Essex, where Peas are largely grown for the 

 London market, " scores of acres destroyed," and " great destruction 

 in the neighbourhood," were respectively reported by different corres- 

 pondents. In the district round Komford (in the same county) Peas 

 were mentioned as having suffered terribly ; destruction was reported 

 from near Eochford, and near Southminster the attack was also bad. 

 The infestation was also reported from Ipswich, in Suffolk. 



