Pest identification
What's eating my lima beans?
Mexican bean beetle
Signs: Skeletonised leaves reduced to a lacy network; yellow larvae scraping leaf tissue from the underside
Control: Hand-pick egg masses, larvae, and adults; neem oil or insecticidal soap; release Pediobius foveolatus parasitic wasps where available
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on growing tips; honeydew, sooty mould, and virus transmission; distorted new leaves
Control: Insecticidal soap; strong water jets; attract ladybirds and lacewings; remove badly affected shoot tips
Spider mites
Signs: Fine pale stippling on leaves; bronze sheen; delicate webbing on undersides; leaves drop prematurely in drought
Control: Increase irrigation; forceful water sprays under leaves; neem oil; predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis)
Rabbits and deer
Signs: Seedlings and young plants browsed to soil level; clean-cut stems close to the ground
Control: Hardware cloth cloches over seedlings; tall perimeter fencing for deer; repellent sprays reapplied after rain
Keep lima beans pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Lima beans pests — FAQ
What is eating my lima beans?
Lima beans attract many of the same pests as other beans: Mexican bean beetle is the most damaging defoliator, while aphids and bean leaf beetles are regular visitors. Spider mites can be severe in hot dry summers. Rabbits and deer browse young seedlings. Timely row cover removal and early scouting prevent the worst losses.
How do I get rid of mexican bean beetle on lima beans?
Skeletonised leaves reduced to a lacy network; yellow larvae scraping leaf tissue from the underside Hand-pick egg masses, larvae, and adults; neem oil or insecticidal soap; release Pediobius foveolatus parasitic wasps where available
How do I get rid of aphids on lima beans?
Dense colonies on growing tips; honeydew, sooty mould, and virus transmission; distorted new leaves Insecticidal soap; strong water jets; attract ladybirds and lacewings; remove badly affected shoot tips
How do I get rid of spider mites on lima beans?
Fine pale stippling on leaves; bronze sheen; delicate webbing on undersides; leaves drop prematurely in drought Increase irrigation; forceful water sprays under leaves; neem oil; predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis)
How do I get rid of rabbits and deer on lima beans?
Seedlings and young plants browsed to soil level; clean-cut stems close to the ground Hardware cloth cloches over seedlings; tall perimeter fencing for deer; repellent sprays reapplied after rain