What's eating my snow pea?

Snow peas are targeted by pea aphids, pea moth larvae inside pods, slugs on seedlings, and birds pulling up seeds. Powdery mildew weakens late-season plants. In the US, thrips scar pods. Pea aphid is the most consistently damaging insect pest, colonizing shoot tips and reducing pod set across both the US and UK.

Dense pale-green colonies on shoot tips, tendrils, and pods; sticky honeydew and reduced vigour Blast with water, apply insecticidal soap, encourage or release parasitic wasps (Aphidius ervi)

Small caterpillars inside maturing pods eat the peas; entry holes visible on pod exterior Use pheromone traps to time egg-laying peak, apply fine netting over plants from first flowering, or sow early/late to dodge the flight window

Seedling stems eaten at soil level; irregular holes in young leaves Iron phosphate slug pellets, copper tape, beer traps, hand-pick at dusk

Seeds pulled from soil; emerging seedlings and young shoots stripped Cover newly sown rows with wire netting or fleece until plants are 6–8 in tall