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Black bugs

chrisnchrischrisnchris Posts: 28
in Problem solving

Hi, I have a lot of black bugs on my runner beans. They're not blackfly, too big.

They're about 2-4mm long and, like blackfly, just stay put. Even when disturbed they don't move.

I picked some beans & put them in water. The bugs still didn't move, they just drowned, so I guess they aren't the brightest imageimageimage

 

Any ideas, I can take pics tomorrow if that'll help.

 

Cheers

 

Chris

Posts

  • chrisnchrischrisnchris Posts: 28

    Update with pics.

     

    image

     

    image

     

    Cheers

     

    Chris

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    They looks like the larval stage of one of the shield bugs.  I'm pretty sure it is a bug (ie a sap sucker) rather than a beetle.  See if you can find something similar here:

    http://www.gardensafari.net/english/bugs.htm

    probably on these pages:

    http://www.gardensafari.net/english/shieldbugs.htm

     

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • chrisnchrischrisnchris Posts: 28

    Yes Bob, I thought that at first, but on closer inspection they haven't got the distinctive "shoulders" of the shield bug. The body tapers to a sharp pointy head.

    I'm getting a bit boggled now....I've been looking at so many pictures & I'm still stumped.image

     

    Cheers

     

    Chris

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    There are a lot of larval stages which stinkbugs go through and the shoulders don't appear in many of them until they start getting to adult size.  There are also a lot of species!  It's really tricky (as you have found!) as most stages for each species aren't well documented with photos, so that's still my best guess.  It might be worth looking for some specialist forums and asking on those?

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • chrisnchrischrisnchris Posts: 28

    OK, thanks Bob,

    Lets assume they are stink bug larvae, are they damaging my beans.

    The flowers don't seem to be appearing in the numbers that I had hoped for after the first flourish.

    This seems to tie in with the appearance of the bugs, how/should I control them?

  • chrisnchrischrisnchris Posts: 28

    Thanks, I visited the cannabis site............I'm waiting for the knock on the door... still baffled.

    Could you link to the ones you think are a match please 1Runnybeak1

    I think it's going to take someone who can positively ID it, I'm going round in circles.

     

    Cheers image

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