This year, I thought the garden would be safe since the deer fence was up, but the little deer had other ideas. I saw two sparrows eating the leaves off of my young pea plants while I worked at the kitchen sink.
As a rewarding cool weather crop, peas are a favorite for many home gardeners. However, you’ve likely experienced the frustration of tending pea plants, only to have the emerging shoots or ripening pods mysteriously vanish or display severe damage overnight. If you’ve wondered “What’s eating my pea plants?”, you’re not alone. Several common garden pests find pea plants just as tasty as we do! In this article, we’ll cover how to identify what bug or critter is attacking your pea patch and proven solutions to stop them in their tracks.
What Types of Pests Attack Pea Plants?
A variety of pests can wreak havoc on pea plants. Here are some of the most likely culprits:
Slugs and Snails
These slimy mollusks are attracted to young pea shoots and leave behind telltale slime trails and holes in leaves. They feed more at night and prefer cool wet weather.
Birds
Birds love fresh green pea pods and can decimate pea crops seemingly overnight, especially just before harvest as pods ripen.
Rodents Like Voles, Mice and Squirrels
Rodents are infamous for nibbling on pea sprouts and digging up seeds. Mice and voles also eat ripening peas right through the pods
Insects Like Pea Weevil, Pea Moth and Pea Aphids
Several insects target pea plants Pea weevil and pea moths damage pods and seeds Aphids feed on plants sap and excrete sticky honeydew.
Family Pets or Livestock like Chickens
Hungry household pets and backyard chickens can also take an unauthorized share of pea plants if given access.
While frustrating, identifying the exact pest allows us to tailor defense strategies to exclude, repel and stop further damage.
Signs of Pest Damage to Look For
Carefully inspecting plants and looking for evidence can reveal which culprit is feasting on your pea patch:
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Holes in leaves – Indicates slugs/snails, insects or rodents. Check for slime trails.
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Wilted, yellowing plants – Could signal sap-sucking aphids or root damage from rodents.
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Tunnels in soil – Voles and mice leave behind small burrow holes and trails.
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Pods or seeds missing – Birds, rodents or insects like pea moths likely. Check for entry holes.
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Pods peeled open – Sign of pea weevil infestation. Insects leave round holes.
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Sprouts nipped at soil line – Voles and mice characteristically chew off seedlings at base.
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Bean-shaped holes in pods – Hallmark evidence of pea weevil destruction.
Close inspection along with identification of timing, location and severity of damage aids in diagnosis and yields clues about which pests are targeting your pea patch.
8 Smart Ways to Protect Pea Plants from Pests
Once identified, several effective pest control strategies can be employed to defend pea plants against attack:
1. Use Raised Beds with Hardware Cloth Barriers
Lining raised beds with fine mesh hardware cloth can exclude underground pests like voles. Make sure to bury edges 10-12 inches deep to prevent burrowing.
2. Install Physical Barriers Like Row Covers
Floating row covers act as protective barriers against insects, rodents, birds and mammals. Support covers above plants using hoops to allow airflow.
3. Deter Slugs and Snails with Diatomaceous Earth
Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around plants. The sharp edges cut soft slug and snail bodies, leading to dehydration and death. Reapply after rain.
4. Set beer traps to Capture Slugs and Snails
Place shallow dishes of beer around plants. Attracted to the yeasty smell, slugs and snails will crawl in and drown.
5. Apply Beneficial Nematodes to Control Soil Pests
Nematodes are microscopic worms that attack soil-dwelling pests like slugs, but are safe for plants. Water them into soil for lasting protection.
6. Remove Hiding Places Like Weeds or Debris
Eliminate shelter, food sources and breeding grounds for pests by clearing weeds and garden debris. This removes protective habitat.
7. Use Animal Deterrents Like Fencing, Repellents or Scare Devices
Install fencing, apply animal repellent sprays made with hot pepper wax or try motion-activated sprinklers or noisemakers to spook animal pests. Reapply regularly.
8. Employ Natural Predators Like Ladybugs to Fight Insect Pests
Release ladybugs, lacewings and other beneficial insects that prey on bad bugs like aphids. They provide free pest control service!
Avoid using broad spectrum pesticides which kill good and bad insects alike. Seek organic or natural solutions first for an eco-friendly approach. Be vigilant about checking for and quickly treating any infestations.
Emergency Actions if Pest Pressure Becomes Severe
If pests overwhelm pea plantings, emergency intervention may be needed:
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Handpick and destroy heavily infested plants or plant parts to prevent spread.
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Use spun polyester garden fabric as temporary barrier until pest pressure subsides.
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As a last resort, apply targeted organic insecticidal soaps or oils to infested areas. Avoid widespread spraying.
With close monitoring and timely treatment, damage can be minimized. Combining multiple strategies often proves most effective long-term.
How to Prevent Pea Pest Problems Before They Start
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Follow these tips to avoid pea plant pest issues from the get go:
Select Resistant Varieties
Some pea varieties have been bred with enhanced resistance to common pests like pea weevil, powdery mildew and enation mosaic virus. Choose resistant cultivars whenever possible.
Practice Crop Rotation
Rotating where pea family crops are planted in the garden each year reduces soil-borne pest build up.
Time Plantings Carefully
Avoid planting too early when pests are still highly active. Plant during optimal windows to help young plants outpace damage.
Clean Up Thoroughly After Harvest
Promptly clear away debris, fallen pea pods and crop residue after harvest to eliminate pest habitat and breeding grounds.
Support Plants with Trellises
Staking, caging or trellising pea plants makes them less accessible to rodents and slugs.
Check Transplants for Pests Before Buying
Inspect pea starts thoroughly for insects, eggs or signs of damage before purchasing. Avoid introducing pests.
Keep Garden Areas Around Peas Clear
Maintain vegetation-free borders around pea plantings to deter pests. Don’t give them a place to hide!
In Summary: Protecting Peas from Pest Ravages
Pea plants provide a protein-packed harvest, but also attract a variety of hungry pests. Look for telltale signs like chewed foliage, missing seeds and pods or slime trails to identify the culprits. Exclude larger pests with barriers and traps, while employing natural predators and treatments to battle insects. Most importantly, incorporate preventive measures like site rotation, removal of pest habitat, and planting resistant varieties to avoid problems before they start. With vigilance and persistent organic pest control, you can successfully protect pea plants from pest damage and enjoy a bountiful harvest. Just stay one step ahead of the critters who want to eat your pea plants as much as you do!
Keeping birds out of the garden
Some people say to use owl decoys or other raptor deterrents, but the best way to keep the birds away is to stop them from getting to them in the first place. My friend used baskets and big jugs that had the bottoms cut off, like juice or gallon glasses. She run drip irrigation below everything so water wasn’t an issue.
I opted to bring out the handy floating row cover. I’d hoped not to need it since the deer weren’t an issue this year, but it did the trick to keep the birds from eating my plants. The only drawback was when I watered. Since I use the overhead misters, I needed to remove the row cover in order to reach the plants. The birds took advantage of the situation since they were more than happy to dash into the water to grab a bite.
The plants only had to be covered for a couple of weeks before they got big enough that the birds could no longer use them. Now the plants are healthy and happy, and I expect my purple peas in short order.
Are sparrows pulling off the leaves of pea plants a new thing?
This was new to me, but a gardening friend and I had talked about it the day before I saw it. When I went to her house, she was upset that birds were eating her lettuce and peas, so she had to cover them with baskets and other strong things. At first, I thought it was strange until I saw sparrows take leaves off of my purple pea plants.
From the leaves, I would have thought slugs or an insect were to blame if I hadn’t seen the sparrows in action. Up to an inch-wide chunks were torn off, but the leaves looked chewed, so I wouldn’t have known that for sure. I know that pigeons, pheasants, and geese eat new plants, like corn, carrots, and bean plants that have just sprouted, but I didn’t think they’d rip off whole leaves.
It surprised me even more because most birds, especially at this time of year, eat bugs to get the nutrients they need. Yet some have a penchant for plants. It is known that goldfinches really like sunflower leaves. Other birds, like these sparrows, absolutely adore the new growth.
What is eating Pea plant.
What eats pea leaves?
Caterpillars will eat the leaves, leaving behind telltale holes, whereas snails can be spotted by their shiny trail and bitten foliage. Here’s how to identify if these pests are at bay: Mammals like deer, rabbits, rodents, and squirrels also pose a threat to pea plants.
What Pests damage pea plants?
There are a number of pests that can damage pea plants, including aphids, pea weevils, and pea moths. Aphids are small, sap-sucking insects that can cause leaves to wilt and turn yellow. Pea weevils are small beetles that lay eggs in pea pods, which can damage the peas inside.
What insects eat pea plants?
Aphids leave behind small, white, or yellow insects on the leaves of pea plants. Pea weevils leave behind small, brown, or black beetles on the leaves and pods of pea plants. Pea moths leave behind small, white, or yellow caterpillars on the leaves and pods of pea plants.
Do pea plants get aphids?
Pea plants can fall victim to several insect pests, most notably aphids and pea weevils. Aphids, small sap-sucking insects, congregate in clusters, often on the undersides of leaves. They can cause leaves to curl and stunt the plant’s growth. On the other hand, pea weevils target the seeds themselves.