[oldcow]

I had read some time ago that I needed to protect the pea's flowers to avoid the pea moth. Since mine haven't flowered yet, I left them unprotected. Now I read somewhere else that the moth will lay its eggs on the plant, and the caterpillars will move to the flowers when they emerge. Does it mean it's too late to cover them??? They're snap peas, which means I didn't expect to open them and discard the ruined peas 

[mumofstig]

I know mangetout don't suffer with it and I assumed the same was true of sugarsnaps,
as I ve managed to grow them for 3 years now without any problems.

Perhaps someone will now come along to tell me that I've just been lucky 

[DD.]

Mangetout suffer with it, but not as badly and the pod is usually eaten before the grub has got to the edible part.

Note "not as badly" and "usually". 

If you want to be safe, fleece them or use pheromone traps.

[oldcow]

mumofstig, I hate to say this but since one doesn't open snap peas, you might have eaten the grubs with the peas   

[mumofstig]

you're right...... I don't open them but I do cut them across into pieces to cook( I don't serve whole sugarsnap pods), so I would find them if they were there 

[Salmo]

If you are going to prevent pea moth you need to fleece or environmesh them as soon as the first flower buds appear. This can be removed once the pods are all formed as the maggots cannot get into the mature pods. The pigeons may then eat them.

Does anyone have any experience of using phermone traps to control pea moth?. It always strikes me that it is a bit expensive unless you grow a lot of peas.  According to the manufacturers they work within 20 metres radius so I suppose that several neighbouring plotholders could place one centrally.

[oldcow]

I netted the peas - just in time, this morning I saw the first flowers. Thanks for the advice!

[oldcow]

 
I just removed the netting and checked the peas. Good news, there are pods forming. Bad news, first I noticed the holes on the leaves, then the little poos... You guessed it, despite the netting I have the dreaded pea moth caterpillars on my plants. A few years ago, if somebody had told me I would one day put on some thin gloves and spent a sizeable amount of time squishing caterpillars by hand, I would have laughed in their face. But this is what I did. Eugh... Disgusting little b****s...
I'll follow mumofstig example and cut the snap peas in two before eating them, to avoid surprises...

[DD.]

Pea moth larvae should not be on the leaves, they creep into the pod and then into the developing pea.

What size were these? Pea moth grubs are only about 1/3 " long.

[Salmo]

I am inclined to agree with DD. Pea moth caterpillars are only ever inside the pods. If you have caterpillars eating the leaves it is some other moth and unless in great numbers will do little harm.

[oldcow]

They are tiny, and they look both for colour and size just like the pictures I saw of pea moth grubs. But then I guess that's a standard "design" for caterpillars...
If you experts say that the fact that these guys are eating the leaves rules out me finding them in the pods, I feel much, but much relieved... I assumed they were pea moth caterpillars since they didn't touch anything but the peas.

[jazzbyrd]

 first I noticed the holes on the leaves, then the little poos...

Eeeeeeks what has been pooing on your pea leaves??!!!!

Jazz

[oldcow]

Jazz, to add insult to the injury the caterpillars not only eat your veggies, but poo on them too.  
Reminds me of a fig tree I had in the past, the starling would wait for the lovely figs to mature, then a day just before they were ready they'd eat them all and leave in exchange my patio literally covered in bird's s**t.
Ah, the pleasures of nature...