"Davy" wrote in message
. 109.145...
My crop of mangetout is well down on last year and my runner beans are
not setting at all.

Earlier in the year we had more honey bees than for years; but none now.
Instead we have lots of bumble bees, as many as a dozen on a single
flowering plant - but none on the runner beans. The RHS state that
bumble bees cannot polinate runner beans. The runner flowers are
completely devoid of insects. I have allowed red and white clover to
flower in my lawn and they have a fair number of bumble bees too.

I've always sprayed my runner beans and usually get a good crop.