Pest identification
What's eating my pinto bean?
Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis)
Signs: Lacy, skeletonized leaves as larvae scrape tissue from the underside
Control: Scout weekly, hand-pick yellow egg masses, apply neem oil or spinosad to undersides of leaves
Potato leafhopper (Empoasca fabae)
Signs: 'Hopperburn' — yellow, then brown V-shaped leaf scorch from the tip inward
Control: Row covers while young, kaolin clay, pyrethrin spray targeting leaf undersides
Spider mites (Tetranychus urticae)
Signs: Bronze stippling and webbing on leaves; worse in hot, dry spells
Control: Increase irrigation, apply neem oil or insecticidal soap, release predatory mites
Rabbits
Signs: Seedlings clipped at the soil line; young leaves stripped
Control: Hardware cloth fence 2 ft tall buried 4 in underground
Keep pinto bean pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Pinto Bean pests — FAQ
What is eating my pinto bean?
Pinto beans face Mexican bean beetles, aphids, spider mites in hot weather, and bean leaf beetles throughout the season. Rabbits clip seedlings at the soil. In the US Southwest, leafhoppers (Empoasca fabae) are a notable regional pest causing 'hopperburn' leaf scorch. Mexican bean beetle remains the most widespread and destructive outdoor pest.
How do I get rid of mexican bean beetle (epilachna varivestis) on pinto bean?
Lacy, skeletonized leaves as larvae scrape tissue from the underside Scout weekly, hand-pick yellow egg masses, apply neem oil or spinosad to undersides of leaves
How do I get rid of potato leafhopper (empoasca fabae) on pinto bean?
'Hopperburn' — yellow, then brown V-shaped leaf scorch from the tip inward Row covers while young, kaolin clay, pyrethrin spray targeting leaf undersides
How do I get rid of spider mites (tetranychus urticae) on pinto bean?
Bronze stippling and webbing on leaves; worse in hot, dry spells Increase irrigation, apply neem oil or insecticidal soap, release predatory mites
How do I get rid of rabbits on pinto bean?
Seedlings clipped at the soil line; young leaves stripped Hardware cloth fence 2 ft tall buried 4 in underground