What lays eggs on pea leaves?

[mikeyboy]

Found some egges layed in very neat rows underneath two leaves on my peas.

I have seen them before a couple of years ago.

They are round, about 0.75mm, white with a black/dark dot in the middle.

They are also now in my freezer until I can get a picture of the little blighters.

I have checked the rest of the plants but can't see any more...do I need to worry?


I did a Gooooooogle search for cabbage butterfly but they seem to be oval and yellow.

[Tee Gee]

Sound like you have had a visit from a pea moth!

[mikeyboy]

Thanks, I reckon you are right but if memory serves the damage I encountered a couple of years ago was that the leaves where being eaten...I will get a pic and upload it...probably tomorrow.

I will keep an eye out for more eggs!

[Ian240356]

Originally Posted by mikeyboy

Found some egges layed in very neat rows underneath two leaves on my peas.

I have seen them before a couple of years ago.

They are round, about 0.75mm, white with a black/dark dot in the middle.

They are also now in my freezer until I can get a picture of the little blighters.

I have checked the rest of the plants but can't see any more...do I need to worry?


I did a Gooooooogle search for cabbage butterfly but they seem to be oval and yellow.

I would have left them on the leaf and placed the whole thing in a jam jar with a nylon stocking over the top so it can breath. Then wait until it enters its bug stage. Its easier to identify then.

[mikeyboy]

Good call regarding putting them in a jar...I will do that if I see more!

In the meantime, here are some pics of said blighters...

[mikeyboy]

A couple more...

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Mikey, I don't think that those eggs are from the pea moth as the pea moth's eggs are tiny green scales that are hard to spot. The female usually lays the eggs on the flowers but also on the leaves and stem.

The only thing that I can find that uses the pea plant as a host for egg laying is the Diamondback Moth.

[mikeyboy]

Many thanks.


Do I need to worry about it?

I am racking my brains trying to think if my peas from 2yrs ago had their leaves stripped.

I must admit to not ever seeing the brown poo of the pea moth or indeed the grub of it...but I am nearly sure that something stripped the leaves.

Many thanks.

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Mikey, the pea moth maggot lives inside the pod eating the peas so the first you know about it is when you come to shell the peas and tiny maggots come out. The pea and bean weevil eats notches around the edges of the leaves but lays the eggs on the ground. Ian's suggestion was a good one!

[mikeyboy]

Many thanks to all.


I checked again last night in the pouring rain (!) and couldn't see any more evidence...

I already have a jar set aside, just in case.