Black Bugs On Runner Beans

[tallpaulc]

Hi, I've been using this site to answer questions relating to my vegetable garden and so now I thought it's about time I signed up! I've noticed over the last few days that there are a lot of small black bugs on the orange flowers of my runner beans. It seems that the bugs are gradually eating the flowers leaving just a green stalk where the bean pod should be forming. I've been told of two possible options to rid the beans of the bugs, hosing down the beans to wash the bugs off or mixing a weak solution of washing up liquid and water and then spraying the leaves and flowers. I would be grateful if anybody could give me some advice on this. I have attached a photo taken yesterday. Thank you very much

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Paul, welcome! I wonder if they are pollen beetles? If they are then the weak solution of washing up liquid should work. But not the anti-bacterial type.

[tallpaulc]

Thanks very much. Having searched "pollen beetle" on the internet and looked at the images returned, I am pretty sure you are correct. Thanks for the quick reply. Now I'm off mix up the spray!

[Mikey & Annie]

Our preference is to plant some nasturtiums near the runner beans and these take the brunt of the blackfly attack, as they prefer them to beans it seems.