Pest identification
What's eating my 'scarlet runner' bean?
Black bean aphid (Aphis fabae)
Signs: Dense black colonies on shoot tips and undersides of leaves; sticky honeydew leads to sooty mould; growth distorted.
Control: Pinch out heavily infested tips. Blast with water. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Encourage ladybirds, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps.
Slugs and snails (Arion spp., Cornu aspersum)
Signs: Seedlings eaten at soil level or leaves shredded; slime trails present.
Control: Use iron phosphate pellets; set beer traps; hand-pick at dusk. Protect seedlings with copper rings or fleece until established.
Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Signs: Clean stem cuts at ground level; seedlings and young plants demolished overnight.
Control: Install 90 cm wire mesh fencing buried 15 cm underground. Use plastic guards around individual plants. A wire cloche over seedlings is very effective.
Capsid bugs (Lygus rugulipennis and allies)
Signs: Tiny brown spots on young leaves that tear into ragged holes as the leaf expands; distorted shoot tips.
Control: Keep surrounding vegetation tidy as capsids overwinter in leaf litter. Remove weeds. Pyrethrum or deltamethrin sprays give short-term knockdown.
Keep 'scarlet runner' bean pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
'Scarlet Runner' Bean pests — FAQ
What is eating my 'scarlet runner' bean?
Scarlet runner beans attract black bean aphids in dense colonies on growing tips, slugs on seedlings, and Mexican bean beetle or capsid bugs on foliage. Rabbits graze seedlings readily. Mice and squirrels will dig up freshly sown seeds. Protect early growth and pinch aphid-colonised tips promptly.
How do I get rid of black bean aphid (aphis fabae) on 'scarlet runner' bean?
Dense black colonies on shoot tips and undersides of leaves; sticky honeydew leads to sooty mould; growth distorted. Pinch out heavily infested tips. Blast with water. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Encourage ladybirds, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails (arion spp., cornu aspersum) on 'scarlet runner' bean?
Seedlings eaten at soil level or leaves shredded; slime trails present. Use iron phosphate pellets; set beer traps; hand-pick at dusk. Protect seedlings with copper rings or fleece until established.
How do I get rid of rabbits (oryctolagus cuniculus) on 'scarlet runner' bean?
Clean stem cuts at ground level; seedlings and young plants demolished overnight. Install 90 cm wire mesh fencing buried 15 cm underground. Use plastic guards around individual plants. A wire cloche over seedlings is very effective.
How do I get rid of capsid bugs (lygus rugulipennis and allies) on 'scarlet runner' bean?
Tiny brown spots on young leaves that tear into ragged holes as the leaf expands; distorted shoot tips. Keep surrounding vegetation tidy as capsids overwinter in leaf litter. Remove weeds. Pyrethrum or deltamethrin sprays give short-term knockdown.