Pest identification
What's eating my fordhook lima bean?
Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis)
Signs: Larvae and adults skeletonize leaves from below; severe defoliation reduces pod set
Control: Scout leaf undersides from seedling stage; hand-pick egg clusters; apply neem oil, spinosad, or release Pediobius wasps
Stink bugs (Euschistus & Nezara spp.)
Signs: Pod scarring and seed dimpling from piercing-sucking feeding; black pinprick entry points on pods
Control: Hand-pick adults and egg masses, apply kaolin clay to pods, use perimeter trap crops like sorghum
Aphids
Signs: Sticky, curled shoot tips; honeydew and sooty mold; weakened plants
Control: Water blast, insecticidal soap, companion planting with dill or sweet alyssum
Rabbits
Signs: Cleanly clipped stems at soil level; seedlings disappear overnight
Control: Hardware cloth fence 2 ft tall with 4-inch underground skirt
Keep fordhook lima bean pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Fordhook Lima Bean pests — FAQ
What is eating my fordhook lima bean?
Fordhook lima beans are prone to Mexican bean beetles, bean leaf beetles, aphids, and stink bugs that pierce and scar pods. Rabbits clip seedlings. Spider mites are serious during drought. Mexican bean beetle is the most destructive insect pest in US gardens, capable of stripping foliage quickly if populations build unchecked.
How do I get rid of mexican bean beetle (epilachna varivestis) on fordhook lima bean?
Larvae and adults skeletonize leaves from below; severe defoliation reduces pod set Scout leaf undersides from seedling stage; hand-pick egg clusters; apply neem oil, spinosad, or release Pediobius wasps
How do I get rid of stink bugs (euschistus & nezara spp.) on fordhook lima bean?
Pod scarring and seed dimpling from piercing-sucking feeding; black pinprick entry points on pods Hand-pick adults and egg masses, apply kaolin clay to pods, use perimeter trap crops like sorghum
How do I get rid of aphids on fordhook lima bean?
Sticky, curled shoot tips; honeydew and sooty mold; weakened plants Water blast, insecticidal soap, companion planting with dill or sweet alyssum
How do I get rid of rabbits on fordhook lima bean?
Cleanly clipped stems at soil level; seedlings disappear overnight Hardware cloth fence 2 ft tall with 4-inch underground skirt