The beans look fine to me. Just eat the beans. What is the problem.

The glass is 99.9% full stop focusing on the 0.1% imperfection.

Do not use poisons. Watch Nature today on PBS about the disappearance of the Bees. NO more poisons for 0.1% Learn acceptance.

I just re-read my post and am positive there isn't a solitary thing there about poisons. I'm not interested in a lecture that has nothing to do with my question. I'd just like to know what bug is eating my beans. Sheesh! Every time I post on this thread, I swear never again! When will I learn?

I'm 100% positive gardendawgie(doesn't know how to spell) is just here for a reaction and GW staff will take care of "it" if "it" continues.
The damage looks similar to stink bug although I'm not sure if beans are on their list.

Could it be flea beetles?

gardendawgie--anyone who uses chemicals in the veggie garden is crazy and not many of us do. Who wants to eat veggies laced with chemicals. You want to talk chemical free talk to the lawn care people.

Thanks Taz and Oilpainter, and I apologize if I sounded like I was lumping everyone into the same bucket. Most people here are extremely friendly and helpful. Yesterday was simply a strange day that started with a coworker blowing a gasket out of nowhere, then my post gets spammed by a bug Nazi who all but accuses me of crop dusting my neighborhood with DDT. In short, if I'd had a beer and an escape hatch I would have gone Jet Blue.

But back to beans, I went out last night with a flashlight to see if my culprits were night stalkers. Couldn't find a thing! On the bright side, I carefully dissected my bean "sting" and didn't find any buried eggs, larvae or other such parasites, so I'll probably just cut off the bites and eat the rest.

I'll look up stink bugs and flea beetles and see if that offers any clues, as I'm still in a quandary over how a bug can do such damage without ever being seen! Thanks so much for your thoughts!

Are you suuuurrrrre that there aren't any little eggs or larvae in there?

LOL, you should have seen me. I could have been in an episode of CSI.

I second the motion on stink bug. They suck out the juice and the cells around the spot collapse. No problem with cutting out the damaged part and eating the rest. Stink bugs are prety mobile and difficult to treat. If it's only a few beans I'd just ignore it. Bugs have to eat too.

Though I'm not sure I've seen one on my plants, I've now got a good photo ID of the stink bug should I run across it. Right now, they're only eating some choice outer beans and I'm definitely getting enough production to give up a few. But in my experience (based mostly on aphids, slugs and caterpillars) if I'm too lenient with the "share and share alike" mentality, these creatures call their cousins, move in and devour my plants before you can say WTF. So, if one should happen to show himself.....

They're kind of fast at moving around to the opposite side of the fruit when you spot them. They will play ring around the rosy with you. I just flick them with my finger when I see them. Numbers have not increased yet. They probably move to the neighbors garden after the beating they get in mine(if they are able) lol.

I've seen similar bite marks on a few of my green beans. Was maybe one out of 50, now a bit more with the weather warmer. Are you seeing a lot of them to a point it affects your harvest?

Because I never used insecticides on veggies, there're always small insects such as small grasshoppers, flea beetles, cucumber beetles, ladybugs, etc on my pole beans plants. So the bite marks could be from a number of insects. Because the population of insects is not out of control and it doesn't affect my harvest, I just throw away the marked ones and learn to live with the bugs.

But if I must guess, I'd say the bite marks on my green beans are from those small grasshoppers that sucks on the green beans all day long OR the occasional cucumber beetles :-)

if I'd had a beer and an escape hatch I would have gone Jet Blue.

LOVE it!!!!!!!!!! LOLOLOLOL

LOL bluebirdie, I was reading your post thinking, "Those are all the bugs I have!" then I noticed you're here in the Bay Area. Like you, I try not to use much in the way of chemicals, so I've been trying to search and destroy--impossible when they won't show themselves! Grrr. But so far, they aren't doing too much damage.

And Nancyjane...I'm thinking the Jet Blue will be the new--kinder catchphrase--of going postal. LOL

LOL

Maybe you could put one of those night vision surveillance tape recorders by your beans... then have a trap attached that would catch the critters.

Then interrogate 'em about where their other little bug friends and family are hiding... then you could deport them out to some distant field and your darling beans would be safe!

(just being silly!)

Betty

I had those same marks in the beginning of the season. At the time, Grackles were going into the bean patch. When the Grackles stopped coming, the holes stopped appearing. I'm not necessarily thinking it was the Grackles. It could be something on the same cycle.

There were also flea beetles around the same time, but I've never seen flea beetles in my beans.

Personally, I wouldn't eat vegetables bugs wouldn't touch. I'd suggest just not eating the few beans that have the hole or eat around the holes.

LOL Betty, now that's what I'm talking about! LOL Maybe I can enlist my husband and we can play good gardener/bad gardener in the interrogation room.

Gershon, I love you statement "I wouldn't eat vegetables bugs wouldn't touch." It gives me a whole new perspective on pests. (Now, off to google what on earth a Grackle is!)

Because I never used insecticides on veggies, there're always small insects such as small grasshoppers, flea beetles, cucumber beetles, ladybugs, etc on my pole beans plants. So the bite marks could be from a number of insects

I can guarantee it's not from ladybugs and most likely not from flea beetles, cucumber beetles or "sucking" small grasshoppers.

*cracks up!*

Good Gardener and Bad Gardener!

With those hi - beam interrogation lights shining on the culprit!

I once asked whether it was normal for my gardenia to have a sudden flush of big, healthy leaves--I was immediately accused of torturing my gardenia by watering it twice a day and not putting it outside in the summer. Thanks for nothing!

Just saying...