Unexpectedly, parasitized weevils had the lowest mortality rates (prior to larval parasitoid emergence).
It was also susceptible to weevil attack and had small grains.
These weevils were all individually labelled to ensure that only marked insects were taken into account.
Reasons for legume seed loss included eating the seed, livestock or birds eating the crop, beetles, weevils or other pests destroying the seeds.
However, larval mortality was very low, and teratocytes were present in almost all parasitized weevils.
When weevils were dissected at the end of the bioassay, most were reproductively immature with relatively small developing eggs.
Total weevil counts were highest in 'no exclusion' plots and lowest in 'total exclusion' and 'early + mid' plots.
These pre-reproductive weevils feed for a period before hibernating in the ground.
