Adult weevil (Photo: H. Goulet) and weevil larva (Photo: L. Dosdall) from Alberta Agriculture

By Dori Modney with files from Alberta Agriculture

Fields needed for 2021 pea leaf weevil survey

Mar 30, 2021 | 2:11 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB. — It’s an annual event in Alberta – the pea leaf weevil survey – and there’s good reason for it.

Shelley Barkley, the insect survey technologist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, says a team of surveyors sets out every year to gather information for insect forecasts and population maps in Alberta. They use a variety of methods to gather their information, including count, the use of a sweep net and taking soil samples.

“First up in the survey season is pea leaf weevil. We visit about 250 pea fields from Warner in the south to the Peace River, looking for and counting the feeding notches of the adult pea leaf weevil.”

Barkley explains the field visits include counting the notches on the nodes of 50-plants per field. Surveyors park on the approach to the field and wear boot covers, as they work along the field edge as they do the counts.

“Timing for the survey is important as we want the peas to be in the 4 to 6 node stage, and this is where we can use help in building a list of predetermined fields for our survey locations. This gives us the ability to plan our survey routes and be more efficient when we are out doing the surveys. Predetermined fields also allows producers to know who is entering their fields.”

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Farmers are encouraged to participate in the surveys as the information will provide details for the 2022 insect population map. As well, producers will receive the results of the fields visited. With approval from producers, information may also be used by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s pathology program if fields are needed for pea disease surveys.

If you’re willing to help, you need to contact Shelley Barkley with the legal land description of your pea field and the municipality the field is in. You can call or email Barkley at the information below:

Shelley Barkley : Call 780-422-1005, or email:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Email: shelley.barkley@gov.ab.ca Email: bugs.r.us@gov.ab.ca

More information on the pea leaf weevil can be found on the Alberta Agriculture website.