No matter where the point of attack is made, the grub has only to bore straight down when it quickly reaches the softer tissues.

What is the result?
I have counted the eggs adhering to a bean-pod and the beans included in the pod, and comparing the two figures I find that there is plenty of room for the whole family at the rate of five or six dwellers in each bean.

No superfluous larvae perish of hunger when barely issued from the egg; all have their share of the ample provision; all live and prosper.

The abundance of food balances the prodigal fertility of the mother.
If the Bruchus were always to adopt the broad bean for the establishment of her family I could well understand the exuberant allowance of eggs to one pod; a rich food-stuff easily obtained evokes a large batch of eggs.

But the case of the pea perplexes me.