what's eating my runner bean leaves

kate.wakeham · May 2020

So I planted my runner beans, I've put some slug pellets around the base of each plant. In the morning the leaves are ravaged. No sign of slug/snail trails. I've even been out late at night in the dark to check them. Nothing on them, but by morning carnage! the lower leaves and higher leaves are affected. Any suggestions? is there anything I can spray them with?

steephill · May 2020

Possibly pigeons, they get up early and will have done their worst before most people get up. A fleece cloche would keep them off for a few weeks until they really get going, also helpful in the current cold nights.

AnniD · August 2020

@steephill, just resurrecting this thread as my neighbour has just come round asking about his runner bean plants. Apparently something is eating them, leaves, flowers, everything. He thought it might be shield bugs as he found one on the leaves, but from what l can find out the damage they cause is negligible.
I know he has had pigeons nesting in his garden, so even though the plants are "mature", are the pigeons still the likely culprits or could it be something else ?

Dovefromabove · August 2020

Pigeons eat a lot of foliage, particularly at this time of year if they’re tearing youngsters as they produce ‘milk’ in their crop to feed the youngsters. I used to watch woodpigeons stripping ornamental cherry trees of their leaves from my desk at work 🤭and in this garden they munch on ash tree leaves and lettuces if we don’t net them. My guess is it’s the woodies.

💡 They can get at the top ones by perching on the support and the bottom ones by waddling around on the ground ... that’s why there’s no damage in the middle. 🧐

AnniD · August 2020

Thanks @Dovefromabove

I have released the shield bugs that he brought round in a jam jar as l didn't think it could be them in any case.
I will pass the information on.

Dovefromabove · August 2020

We love shield bugs 😍

what's eating my runner bean leaves

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