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Townie

Beastie ID Please

Well they weren't there last night and now I have big green and brown beasties and they have brought their kids with them all over my broad beans.. are they friend or foe?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8296413@N05/3697952749/sizes/l/
Smooth Hound

they dont look very nice  :shock:no idea what they are though
lachlanandmarcus

good grief they look like special effects from Torchwood  
Smooth Hound

dont frighten her,   what the hell have you got there  
Sassinak

The only real pest of broad beans that I know is the black aphid, but I don't think yours are black enough to qualify - soory to not be more help :-(
Smooth Hound

just reading up on it, presuming it is an apid, then b beans can take it, advice is, pinch out the tips, and water with a watering can, and if you want you can use derris, but apparently not necessary, thats of course if its aphid, and not something youve picked up whilst watching a horror movie    
Townie

They are Bl**dy awful looking things, thinking about running out to the front garden and herding up some ants that are living inbetween the slabs in the path  

Neighbours might think i've lost the plot tho'  
Smooth Hound

and you havent     no dont panic     most b beans get it, eventually the leaves will turn blackish   but by then youll have your beans   its all a part of the organic thing     you can always use the derris though,
Townie

Showing my ignorance here... what's Derris?
Smooth Hound

im not certain but as far as i know, this is just from googling, its a natural insecticide, a powder, ill see if i can find you someting onit
Smooth Hound

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derris
Smooth Hound

having a read of that ,   id just leave it, its just the way it goes with b beans sometimes, i dare say the aphids help with something else, but try the watering can and the pinching out the shoots, apparently its the shoots the beasties like
Townie

Oooerr SH is a banned substance  

Quote:
Garden centres must remove Derris from their shelves from 10 October, when EU rulings banning the pesticide come into force.
Dove Associates and HTA nursery consultant John Adlam believes the ban is bad for gardening: "Derris has been an effective product in the garden market for many years. It was considered to be one of the valuable products available to the retail gardener," said Adlam.

Buckingham Nurseries & Garden Centre plant manager Chris Day added that the ban would hit both gardeners and retailers: "This is a great loss. We sell over 130 units of Doff Derris Dust a year and it is still an integral part of the gardener's ammunition as a contact insecticide for sap-sucking pests, particularly in the greenhouse."

The Crop Protection Association said the revocation of the active ingredient rotenone, which is in three professional products and five amateur products, would affect gardeners and the industry.

Rotenone is banned from advertising, sale or supply from 10 October this year and from storage and use from 10 October 2009.The product kills caterpillars, flea beetle, raspberry beetles, sawfly and also gives partial control of aphids.

Under EU directives, pesticides licences must be re-registered. Manufacturers of Derris are not thought to sell enough of the product to pay the hefty costs involved.

Rotenone has been granted "essential use" in the UK until 31 October 2011 for apples, pears, peaches, cherries, ornamentals and potatoes only. Consumer products are: Bayer Bio Liquid Derris Plus, Vitax Derris Dust, Doff Derris Dust, Murphy Derris Dust and Nature's Answer Derris Dust.

- See www.pesticides.gov.uk/approvals.asp?id=2432



http://www.hortweek.com/news/845063/Derris-struck-off-pesticide-ban/
Smooth Hound

post above yours  
Townie

Had an idea  

Wonder if I can use diatomaceous earth and give the plants a good dusting of that... its organic... and made from crushed fossils and stuff, wonder if it would have sufficient jaggy bits in it to pierce the aphids?

I'm away out to give them a liberal dusting... will report back later  
Smooth Hound

what about soapy water in a watering can, after all your washing up. instead of tipping it away, could work   you can report back on that too  
Smooth Hound

cant imagine the little blighters liking that  
pete_inthehills

Townie wrote:
Had an idea  

Wonder if I can use diatomaceous earth and give the plants a good dusting of that... its organic... and made from crushed fossils and stuff, wonder if it would have sufficient jaggy bits in it to pierce the aphids?

I'm away out to give them a liberal dusting... will report back later  


diatomaceous earth is made up of crushed fossils - small siliceous diatoms which actually are very beautiful if you magnify them enough.

DE works by sucking all the moisture out of an insect.  It might work if you dust them enough, but I suspect you won't be able to keep them dusted enough.

but no harm in trying.

It looks like you have green fly and the big ones are adults that can produce 1000's of babies in a short time.

pete
inthehills
Smooth Hound

soapy water
Smooth Hound

     
Smooth Hound

meant to say   soapy water
Rosie

Thats black bean aphid alright. Aphids can be many different colours.
Derris is not sold any more, it was withdrawn, last September i think.

It helps if you nip out the tops of the broad bean plants. No idea why it helps but it does!!
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