Mexican bean beetle solution

18 years ago

What a stellar year for my beans. Already I have harvested about 20 gallon of beans on the first picking. I have 8 15 foot rows. Now the mexican beetle have taken over. I took a week out of the garden to install a 2000 gal koi pond and the beetles have really taken over. I was shocked at the damage and reproduction over 1 week. What would be the best course of action to get rid of them? I have seen only a few adults but larva everywhere. Sometimes as many as 5-6 per leaf. Little eggs under every leaf. I need to get them gone before they kill all my beans. I have read its easier to pick the beans plant and all and replant to get 2 crops. Would that help if the pulled plants are destoyed? I usually let the plants reproduce until frost. Picking the larva off by hand is not going to happen. There are thousands of them. I do have Sevin in spray form ( kind you put on the end of garden hose) but I really done like using it on veggies.

Help please!!!!

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Comments (3)

jimster
18 years ago
There is a thread on the Bean Forum which will interest you.

Link below.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Mexican Bean Beetle Control
billinpa
Original Author
18 years ago
I saw that earlier. But the cost of the wasps at this point would be mute. Plus I leave for a vacation in a few days. So they would have to wait untilI got back. By that time my plants would be gone.

Looking for a treatment for now.

Wasps will be used next year for sure. I was shocked at the results from them.
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jimster
18 years ago
I was very surprised at the effectiveness of the wasps also, since it was not apparent until the following season when no MBBs showed up. There is hardly a hole in the leaf of any of the beans in the entire community garden, whereas last year it was mass devestation. I am unable to find any MBBs at any stage of growth, adult, eggs or larvae.

In the mean time, I suggest rotenone or sevin. They work as a short term solution.

BTW, if you use the wasps, pay close attention to the timing of that method. They are most effective when released at the right level of MBB infestation.

Jim