Something eating my beans?

I have several bean plants coming up around my trellis. They are a couple inches tall with nice big leaves. Yesterday I noticed holes in the leaves so I think an insect has been feasting on them. Any ideas and what can I use to prevent further munching?

Thanks, Jodi

Probably flea beetles if your area is like mine. I seem to always get this each spring. I dust with permethin( spelling) and they move away to someone else's beans. :)

7 dust. unless that's the same thing, viper dust is also a good one to use.

IamJodi, WELCOME TO DG!

The holes in your bean plant leaves could be, as Vashur said, the infamous and pesky flea beetle. They tend to make many small holes in the leaves. If they are bigger holes you could have bean leaf beetles. Neem oil will help with both of those bugs. Also pyrethrin/permethrin if you choose. (Pytrethrin is considered an "organic" product if that is how you are gardening. Permethrin/Permethrum is not. Neither is Sevin Dust.)

Once your plants are up good in size the flea beetles will not be so damaging. However, if they are bean leaf beetles it is best to zap them now before they really over-populate the bean patch and take over.

Have fun! And take pics for us! :>)

Rotenone is another organic option for dealing with flea beetles.

Many organic growers now shy away from Rotenone due to the discovery of it's relationship to contributing to and/or being a factor in contributing to Parkinson's Disease.

If you have an area where its run-off could flow into a pond or other water system it is very detrimental to the fish life ("belly up, fishies!").

Often-times, when started early, something as simple as talcom powder can deter flea beetles. And of course any dusting with something like that will have to be re-applied after rains/irrigation, etc.

Spectrum...I don't think I've hollered, "A Hearty WELCOME to DG!" to ya. Welcome aboard! Hope to see you around the site more!

Another thing I have learned about flea beetles. They like hot dry days. So, when I am home on one such day, I turn the soaker hoses up full blast to keep it moist, till it cools off. They don't like the moisture, and it will deter them. Wormwood, Sweet Annie, or Mugwort plants will also deter them...

Bean leaf beetles can be deterred by interplanting potatoes or growing your beans up corn, in case someone wants to plan ahead for the fall crop :-)

here is a link to some other suggestions in the classics thread...

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/41558/

This message was edited May 30, 2005 1:53 PM

*drool* stop saying the C word I don't have room for it! *looks around wildly* Humm but maybe if I bulldoze the garage....

Thanks for all the tips! The larger bean plants do not seem to have as many nibble holes as my smaller bean plants. I've been dusting them with a vegetable plant insecticide that I have. It's funny...I never see the little critters who are doing this.

Thanks, Jodi

You have to go out when it is hot and dry, and practically senak up on them. Flea beetles are fast and sneaky, and very small...