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How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

| More pests | More crops | About guidelines |

Misshapen green bell pepper, possibly damage from pepper weevils.

Peppers

Pepper Weevil

Scientific name: Anthonomus eugenii

(Reviewed 8/07, updated 8/07)

In this Guideline:

DESCRIPTION OF THE PEST

The pepper weevil is a common pest in southern California where it can migrate in from areas with warm winters or survive year round in years when winters are mild. The adult pepper weevil is a small beetle, about 0.125 inch (3 mm) long, with a dark body that has a brassy luster to it. Larvae are off-white grubs with a brown head and are about 0.25 inch (6 mm) when mature.

Adult females lay eggs in holes they create in pepper buds or in the base of young pepper pods. Larvae develop and feed inside on the seed core or tissue of the pod wall. The pepper weevil has three larval instars and larval development requires 2 to 3 weeks. Pupation occurs within the pepper pod and requires 3-6 days. There are multiple generations a year. Peppers are the primary host, but feeding also occurs on nightshades, especially silverleaf nightshade, Solanum elaeagnifolium.

DAMAGE

Adult weevils feed on fruit and leaf buds. Larvae feed inside the pods and cause young fruit to drop prematurely, reducing yields. Larger fruit often do not drop when infested, resulting in crop contamination.

MANAGEMENT

Manage pepper weevils in areas where they have occurred using field sanitation. Monitor with pheromone-baited sticky traps to determine the need to treat.

Biological Control
Parasitic wasps have been observed on the weevil larvae, but their impact in controlling this pest appears to be minimal.

Cultural Control
Immediately following harvest, destroy pepper plant residue. Remove infested fruit from field and destroy. Inspect pepper transplant to make sure they aren't infested and remove nightshade plants from the pepper field and its margins.

Organically Acceptable Methods
Cultural controls and sprays of pyrethrin are acceptable for use on organically certified produce.

Monitoring and Treatment Decisions
Monitor pepper weevil adults with pheromone-baited sticky traps. Place traps in fields before bloom to detect first adult emergence or migration into the field. Place traps on the field perimeter to detect migration.

Traps are mounted on poles, the height of which can be adjusted as the crop grows so that the traps are just below the tops of the plants. Check traps twice a week or more frequently if adults are known to be present. Apply treatments when the first adult is captured.

Common name Amount/Acre** R.E.I.+ P.H.I.+
(trade name)   (hours) (days)
When choosing a pesticide, consider information relating to impact on natural enemies and honey bees and environmental impact.
 
A. ESFENVALERATE*
  (Asana XL) 5.8–9.6 fl oz 12 7
  MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 3
  COMMENTS: Do not exceed 0.35 lb a.i./acre/season. Only use this product late in season if leafminers are present; it is destructive of their parasites.
 
B. CARBARYL*
  (Sevin 4F or XLR Plus) 0.5–1 qt 12 3
  MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 1A
  COMMENTS: Thorough coverage is important. Do not use when psyllids are present.
 
  (Sevin 80S) 0.66–1.25 lb 12 3
  MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 1A
  COMMENTS: Thorough coverage is important. Do not use when psyllids are present.
 
C. ENDOSULFAN*
  (Thionex 3EC) 0.66–1.33 qt 48 4
  (Thionex 50WP) 1 lb 48 4
  MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 2A
  COMMENTS: Do not make more than 2 applications/year. Only use this product late in season if leafminers are present; it is destructive of their parasites.
 
D. PERMETHRIN*
  (Ambush 25W) 6.4–12.8 oz 12 3
  MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 3
  COMMENTS: For use on bell peppers only. Do not apply more than 1.6 lb a.i./acre/season. Only use this product late in season if leafminers are present; it is destructive of their parasites.
 
  (Pounce 3.2EC) 4–8 fl oz 12 3
  MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 3
  COMMENTS: For use on bell peppers only. Do not apply more than 1.6 lb a.i./acre/season. Only use this product late in season if leafminers are present; it is destructive of their parasites.
 
  (Pounce 25WP) 6.4–12.8 oz 12 3
  MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 3
  COMMENTS: For use on bell peppers only. Do not apply more than 1.6 lb a.i./acre/season. Only use this product late in season if leafminers are present; it is destructive of their parasites.
 
E. PYRETHRIN#
  (PyGanic) EC 16 oz 12 0
  MODE OF ACTION GROUP NUMBER1: 3
  COMMENTS: Begin applications when insects first appear; do not wait until the plants are heavily infested. Apply in sufficient water for thorough coverage of the plants. Apply at intervals of 7 days or less. Repeat as necessary to maintain control.
 
 
**  See label for dilution rates.
+ Restricted entry interval (R.E.I.) is the number of hours (unless otherwise noted) from treatment until the treated area can be safely entered without protective clothing. Preharvest interval (P.H.I.) is the number of days from treatment to harvest. In some cases the REI exceeds the PHI. The longer of two intervals is the minimum time that must elapse before harvest.
* Permit required from county agricultural commissioner for purchase or use.
# Acceptable for use on organically grown produce.
1 Rotate chemicals with a different mode-of-action Group number, and do not use products with the same mode-of-action Group number more than twice per season to help prevent the development of resistance. For example, the organophosphates have a Group number of 1B; chemicals with a 1B Group number should be alternated with chemicals that have a Group number other than 1B. Mode of action Group numbers are assigned by IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee). For additional information, see their Web site at http://www.irac-online.org/.

[Precautions]

PUBLICATION

[UC Peer Reviewed]

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Peppers
UC ANR Publication 3460
Insects and Mites
E. T. Natwick, UC Cooperative Extension Imperial County
J. T. Trumble, Entomology, UC Riverside
Acknowledgment for contributions to Insects and Mites:
W. J. Bentley, UC IPM Program, Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier
R. L. Coviello, UC Cooperative Extension, Fresno County
C. G. Summers, Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier
W. E. Chaney, UC Cooperative Extension, Monterey County
C. F. Fouche, UC Cooperative Extension, San Joaquin County

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