For many, but not all of our 127 Plot Holders at Wellesbourne Allotments, 2020 has been an exceptionally poor year for Runner Beans. For some, the worst in living memory.
Some or our members say our Runner Bean crop failed because of the weather:-
late frost on 12th/13th & 14th May and very dry weather - driest Spring on record ( 124 years).
long period of unusually wet weather with multiple thunderstorms in June - black fly infestations.
heatwave in July - severe drought and temperatures reaching 34 degrees C locally.
Storm Ellen and Francis in August - strongest gusts of wind recorded in the England at 74mph and many Runner Bean plants were literally blown over.
Many Plot Holders though have grown good, healthy & strong plants bearing plenty of flowers through out the summer - but still no Runner Beans !
Malcolm Larby on Plot 31b has observed 'nectar robbing' bees on his Runner Beans - getting the nectar store from punctured holes in ‘ the back door ‘ of the flowers rather than entering the flower and pollinating it as expected.
BEEHAVING BADLY - taken on Wellesbourne Allotments Sept 2020.
Going in the ‘back door’ - a honey bee takes nectar without going though the flower, making use of the puncture hole initially made by the first nectar robber -a bumble bee
Nectar robbing by a honey bee - no pollination takes place and so no runner beans are produced