pea moth

Over the last 4 or 5 seasons I have seen my pea harvest decrease to the level of last year when I was lucky to get a yield of 3 unaffected peas from each 10 pea pod, all due to the ravages of
pea moth. I have tried spraying the emerging blossoms with proprietory insecticides rocommended for this pest, and growing old fashioned tall growing varieties such as Alderman in the hope of putting the flowers out of reach of the flies, but the problem continues to get worse each season to the point where I am about to give up. Other growers in the same (though not acjacent)locality seem to have no such problems. Can anyone give me encouragement and advice that will give me the heart to try again this season ?

IanL

 

Have you tried companion planting [radish, sage], derris, or pheromone traps?
http://www.defenders.co.uk/traps.htm

 

Thanks Wiltshire, I had not heard of companion planting for this particular pest. I will give it a go and post my results at end of season.
Wrekin

 

Hi wrekin, you are not alone, I also suffer from the pea moth , but not to your extent yet.
I am hoping this year to try a pheromone trap.
this gives off the scent a female moth gives out,
so the male flies into the trap and get stuck. no male moths, no maggots. the moth is not a long distance flyer so the population builds up.