[jaycee]

Never happened before but this year something is nicking off my runner beans plants at ground level.
I only notice when the runner is shriveled. It`s happened (one at a time) to a third of my plants to date , and it`s always the one which has the most flowers. At this rate I won`t be harvesting many!
Mice?   Slug damage ? Although no slug evidence around.
HELP.

[corndolly]

Could it  be rabbits ?

[jaycee]

No no rabbits here corndolly. My husband thinks it could be wind damage but that doesn`t seem feasable to me. There just doesn`t seem to be any teeth marks on the stems.
Just been out for another look and I see that the peg fastening down the string,of the latest casualty is missing and look like something has disturbed the gound near by...but honestly no rabbits.

[matron]

Would squirrels make damage like that? Or it may be cats.
I can't think of anything else.

[gobs]

Could be a great number of things, would be worth trying to net, just in case it is not some small bug.

[Brambles]

Have you dug up the roots of attacked plant.  Maybe something hiding in the soil.  I had nasty grub thingys in tomatoes a bit earlier doing the same, though they were younger plants.  Only a suggestion as I am no expert on veggies.  I just have a go and it works or it doesn't.  Am learning fast though.

[jaycee]

Thanks for suggestions but am at a loss .No rabbits. no squirrels no domestic cats in my area , although  had a wild cat after my ducks (later all 14 of them got taken by a large male otter over a period three weeks) but that was quite a few years ago and they are getting rarer and rarer (wild cats I mean). Do have pine martens every evening so I wonder if this could be the problem...doubt it though as I have been growing runner beans for the past 10years+ and the pine martens have been visiting even longer.
Now going out again to see if I can see any signs of animal droppings in the area.....and dig up a damaged root for a closer look.
I thought Munty might have known of some pest that did this damage.
The beans are too high to try and net gobs.

[gobs]

You said at ground level, so I gathered that's not too high.

[corndolly]

Noticing you are in the Highlands could nt be Deer could it ?

Where are you by the way ? I used to know Bettyhill area well on the North coast.
I'm surprised you can grow runner beans up there , but I suppose if you're on the west coast then you get the benefit of the Gulf Stream.

[nothinghasdiedyet]

We have Pheasants in and around our allotment so we have to protect our beans at an early stage from them because they like to peck the growing stem heart at an early stage once the runners are over about 2 ft you are ok
So maybe you have a bird problem

[Aunt Sally]

Any deer around ?

[muntjac]

are they taking the whole plant then its deer if its just nibbling through the stems its mice after the sugar sap,