How to Eradicate Bean Weevils without Chemicals?
hello I have a problem with bean weevils in my veg patch I am a first time gardener and need some help on how to get rid of these pests without using chemicals look forward from hearing from someone who can help me get them before they get my broad beans and peas thank you
-
David Taylor
- Cool Member
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:21 pm
- Location: Crest California
They sound disastrous.
Here's what The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control (ed. by Barbara Ellis & Fern Marshall Bradley, 1992) has to say about bean weevils:
"Bean Weevil. Acanthoscelides obtectus
"Description: Adults: velvety gray or brown, 0.1 to 0.125" weevils with pale lines on their backs and red legs. Larvae: white, fat grubs. Found throughout North America. [and evidently Australia, too
]
"Damage: Adults feed on leaves and pods of beans, peas, and lentils. Larvae bore through freshly harvested and stored seeds, ruining them.
"Life Cycle: As plants bloom, overwintering adults emerge and feed, and lay eggs in pods. Larvae feed and pupate in seeds. In stored beans, eggs are laid on seeds and weevils breed year-round.
"Control: At harvest, treat seeds and stored legumes with diatomaceous earth; remove bean plants from the garden immediately after harvest to reduce overwintering populations." (p. 273)
There's an additional tip on p. 37 of the same book:
"Symptom--Dry beans tunneled. Cause: Bean weevils. Adults are gray or brown....larvae are small.... To control this storage pest, dry seed in a 125 deg. F [approx. 45 deg. C] oven for 25 minutes, or store at 0 deg. F [approx. -18 deg. C] for 3 to 4 days to kill larvae."
Unfortunately, none of these suggestions work for young plants in the field. Maybe someone else will have some ideas. Perhaps the usual soapy water will injure the soft-bodied larvae?
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
Here's what The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control (ed. by Barbara Ellis & Fern Marshall Bradley, 1992) has to say about bean weevils:
"Bean Weevil. Acanthoscelides obtectus
"Description: Adults: velvety gray or brown, 0.1 to 0.125" weevils with pale lines on their backs and red legs. Larvae: white, fat grubs. Found throughout North America. [and evidently Australia, too
]"Damage: Adults feed on leaves and pods of beans, peas, and lentils. Larvae bore through freshly harvested and stored seeds, ruining them.
"Life Cycle: As plants bloom, overwintering adults emerge and feed, and lay eggs in pods. Larvae feed and pupate in seeds. In stored beans, eggs are laid on seeds and weevils breed year-round.
"Control: At harvest, treat seeds and stored legumes with diatomaceous earth; remove bean plants from the garden immediately after harvest to reduce overwintering populations." (p. 273)
There's an additional tip on p. 37 of the same book:
"Symptom--Dry beans tunneled. Cause: Bean weevils. Adults are gray or brown....larvae are small.... To control this storage pest, dry seed in a 125 deg. F [approx. 45 deg. C] oven for 25 minutes, or store at 0 deg. F [approx. -18 deg. C] for 3 to 4 days to kill larvae."
Unfortunately, none of these suggestions work for young plants in the field. Maybe someone else will have some ideas. Perhaps the usual soapy water will injure the soft-bodied larvae?
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17