Davy wrote in
. 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.

What are others experience this year - are your peas and beans covered
in bees?

DAvy


Occasional bumble bees and hover flies on beans and beans now beginning
to set so perhaps its a time thing - need to wait till mid July. But
bees seem to visit runner beans as a last resort?

DAvy