some varmit is eating my green bean plants

[Bryan Bebout]

I have attached a picture of my green bean plant. Can anyone tell me what is eating them?? I cannot find  any pests during the day. Maybe nocturnal.

 

Thanks

[Beth Medeiros]

Maybe a snail?  I'm totally new at aquaponics, but we're studying gastropods right now in school (I homeschool) and snails are nocturnal and eat holes out of the middle of the leaves.  Can you see dried slime paths on the leaves?  Other than that, I have no idea how to get rid of them.  I'm sorry I'm not much help!

[Bryan Bebout]

No trails

 
Beth Medeiros said:

Maybe a snail?  I'm totally new at aquaponics, but we're studying gastropods right now in school (I homeschool) and snails are nocturnal and eat holes out of the middle of the leaves.  Can you see dried slime paths on the leaves?  Other than that, I have no idea how to get rid of them.  I'm sorry I'm not much help!

[George]

I'm guessing a worm.  Look carefully.  If you don't find anything, then probably a night worker.  If you can flood your media bed to the top of the gravel, do that and it should drive him to the surface.  You can also check at night with a flashlight.  I kill lots of slugs at night.  Trails on plants aren't so obvious.  Good luck.

[Bryan Bebout]

I found one earwig last night, can one damage a plant so severely?? There must be more. I also flooded the beds but found no unwelcome guests, I did find a little tiny, tiny ( the size of a pin head) black bug that looks like some kind of beetle.

[Alex Veidel]

That's a very homeschool-mom thing to do: studying snails (and calling them gastropods :). I was homeschooled, as were the rest of my brothers and sister. Glad to see you have an interested and aquaponics!

Beth Medeiros said:

Maybe a snail?  I'm totally new at aquaponics, but we're studying gastropods right now in school (I homeschool) and snails are nocturnal and eat holes out of the middle of the leaves.  Can you see dried slime paths on the leaves?  Other than that, I have no idea how to get rid of them.  I'm sorry I'm not much help!

[George]

No.  Keep looking.  You'll get him.  It's amazing what one worm or slug can do.  Night and day pest inspections are routine here, control being the goal, instead of nuking the back forty.

Bryan Bebout said:

I found one earwig last night, can one damage a plant so severely?? 

[Bryan Bebout]

I guess i will break out the black jammies and black light!!! I will find them!

Thanks George.

[sticky]

Would worm tea be effective against snail?