Pea Seed Pest

15 years ago

I've looked around on the net, but can't find the creature that is feeding on my pea seeds. I don't know if it's the larvae of something or what. It's light colored, about 1/8" long and thin and is feeding on the seed coat and the stem that was just starting to grow. There are several working on it, but not on every seed I checked. I thought I was finally going to be able to get a good crop of peas since we made a raised bed with hardware cloth on the bottom to keep moles out and put in pvc arches with bird netting to keep birds, deer, and coons out. I've had very little pest trouble here in the 14 or so years we've lived here. Maybe I kept out the birds that would've eaten them, along with the birds that would've gone after the seed. I planted the whole packet of seeds after soaking them for a couple of days. In former homes, I was always able to grow them without this problem. Thanks!

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Comments (10)

Embothrium
15 years ago
Maybe it's Delia platura.
jean001a
15 years ago
Delia platura? Seed corn maggot?

Perhaps the soil is simply too wet and too cold. And now the scavengers are feeding on the dying seed.

Images would help. Is that possible?
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Ratherbgardening
Original Author
15 years ago
No, it's neither of those. Those are 2 I had found and ruled out. It doesn't look like a grub. It's long and very thin.

The seed is growing, not rotting.

I don't think I could get a good enough picture.

Thanks for your guesses. I may take some in to get an ID.
hemnancy
15 years ago
If you have any diatomaceous earth, perhaps you could put some in your planting holes, I don't know if it would work in that situation but it is supposed to work well against insects.
jean001a
15 years ago
OP said "It's long and very thin."

Could be millipedes scavengers) or perhaps something that's not at all damaging.

Please try for images even though you don't think they'll be good enough to help.
Embothrium
15 years ago
Wireworms?
Karchita
15 years ago
Diatomaceous earth is great stuff, but it only works if it's dry. It's not going to work for this situation.
Ratherbgardening
Original Author
15 years ago
No, not wireworms. That was the first search I did.

I'll see if I can get a picture.

Maybe that's what has gotten my peas in the past and not the birds so much. If I can ID them, then I can see what predators would go after them.

Thanks for the DE suggestion.
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
15 years ago
If its not wireworms, then we need a much, much, much better description or fotos.

Dan
Ratherbgardening
Original Author
15 years ago
I went back out the other day and looked for them since the few sprouts that came up where cut off at ground level and all I found were a couple of millipedes, so I assume they did the damage. I just couldn't get a good look at the when there were several wrapped around the seed and I couldn't see their legs. So now I need to know how to decrease their population without killing off the earthworms. DE would do them harm, plus it is too wet. I was thinking of soaking the seed in something that would repel them, or sprinkling something on the soil, but I have no idea what. Maybe cayenne pepper? I need to look into what predators would go after them too and I think I'll pull back the netting to let some birds in and see if they'll go after them. I lost a whole 16' row. Thanks.