[MrsPea]

Both lots are covered in black fly what do i do to get rid or do i say forget it  i'm not a happy bunny there's loads of flower ' Help'

[mumofstig]

I must admit to spraying mine a couple of times this year, with Provado Ultimate Bug Killer spray.

[Kleftiwallah]

Or catch as many Lady birds as you can find and spread them on the leaves (which I have tried but there's never enough lady birds), OR blast the beggers with soapy water.

Cheers,  Tony.

[OakR]

I had lots on my dwarf french beans a few weeks ago and my few climbing french beans - a ridiculous amount. I spent quite a while squashing most by hand (plenty of ants but I tend to let them escape as I like ants although I know they are harvesting some of them). They now seem mostly under control and there are lots of ladybirds around so I think nature is doing it's thing now and the beans are coming through nicely.

Good luck!

[MrsPea]

Thank you for that, last night i went out and threw 2 bowl fulls of soapy water over them a lot of the trouble is there all at the top and i'm only a little short a--se  I'll see what happens later in the week.
What i picked yesterday were lovely after having a good wash.

[JayG]

Using a sprayer makes the job a lot easier and more targeted MrsPea.

You might need to experiment with the dilution which will be effective (obviously you want to use as little as possible.)
I find that about a teaspoonful of washing up liquid in a pint of water does the job - the blackfly don't necessarily drop off but if you look closely they should mostly be dead in a few hours. A second application may be needed as it's not a persistent or systemic treatment (especially if it rains!)
I do check for signs of ladybird or other larvae on the beans before spraying.

[mumofstig]

I did several sprays with Fairy liquid/water but they were still smothered that's why I gave in and used the Bugkiller spray. It is my last resort - not something I reach for automatically..

[JayG]

Nor me mum, but runner beans are a very awkward crop to try any sort of 'squishing' technique on, particularly if you've got a considerably greater infestation than in previous years, as I have at the moment.

Wondering whether Fairy liquid is kind to your aphids as well as your hands (showing my age here!    )

Seriously, probably needs to be a bit stronger - if too dilute it just runs off them.

[CHRISDONOHUE]

I used to spray blackfly with a systemic insecticide which worked effectively unlike the plot holders around me who trusted in washing up liquid which seemed to have little effect.   The effect of using washingup liquid seemed purely psychological, giving them great piece of mind that they had 'solved' the problem with a targeted approach.  Someone then told me that he sprayed them off with a hose.  I was initially sceptical but tried it and found it actually worked without the cost and pollution of a systemic insecticide.   If there are still blackfly the next day, repeat.   It is an obvious solution, costs nothing and makes sense.  If there aren't any blackfly on the plant, there is nothing to suck the plants.   Ladybirds never overtake the spread of the blackfly and ants merely milk the blackfly.

[Grubbypaws]

Or catch as many Lady birds as you can find and spread them on the leaves (which I have tried but there's never enough lady birds), OR blast the beggers with soapy water.

Cheers,  Tony.

I have just one ladybird in my garden but it is fascinating to watch. It hides in a leaf while the ants bring the black fly up to their horde. The minute the ant goes down for more it eats the blackfly and re-hides. The ants return with more! I wish there were more around. I love seeing the confused look of the ants; just like me when I cant remember where I parked the car 

[cc]

I did remove all the blackfly one year from a sweet pepper. Simply hand spraying with water, nothing more. Wiped them out as they were washed off and drowned in the pot. So good spray with hose may work.