Cowpea Weevil
Callosobruchus maculatuss
Appearance
- Adults — 3mm long.
- They are reddish-brown in colour. Their wing covers (known as elytra) are black and grey and have two black spots.
- The larva is whitish, C–shaped, with a small head.
Lifecycle
- The eggs laid by the females hatch in 5 to 20 days.
- Larvae typically take from 2 weeks to 6 months to develop before pupating inside dried peas.
- Adults may be found outdoors in flowers in early spring.
- Between six and seven generations may occur per year.
Habits
- They prefer dried cowpeas but will attack other dried beans and peas in storage.
- Adults move about readily and can infest seeds in the field, but can also breed continuously in dry, stored cowpeas.