Does anyone know if hedgehogs are likely to do this? If not, has anyone
any
other ideas, please?

Only if rabid :-)

You are correct in what they eat, and they are almost certainly
hunting the culprits - which are probably slugs or snails. If
the stems are semi-woody, then the culprits are more likely to
be voles, or perhaps mice, and hedgehogs can't deal with them.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Thanks, Nick. I have ruled out slugs and snails (my first suspects) as
adjacent plants that are usually attacked by them have been left untouched,
probably due to the good work of the hedgehogs.

I have not noticed any increase in small rodents (although, as I am in the
country, there are lots of them normally). It would also surprise me if they
preferred my beans to the feast to be had in nearby hedgerows.

Just a thought, could the hedgehogs have accidentally broken the beans while
hunting the slugs and snails? It is too late for this year but, if this is a
possibility, I will try to devise some sort of very low fence to protect the
beans next year.

Regards

Howard Neil