Slugs: The Nighttime Culprits Behind Holes in Green Beans

Small, clean holes in green beans with no visible insects? Slugs. They feed at night, hide by day, and the tiny ones eat disproportionately more because they're growing fast.

Night Patrol Protocol

1. Wait until full dark.
2. Headlamp/flashlight + container (yogurt cup, jar) with lid.
3. Check leaf undersides, stem bases, soil surface.
4. Hand-pick every slug—especially the small ones.
5. Dispose in soapy water or relocate far away.

Why This Works

• Slugs are the #1 suspect for smooth-edged holes in beans.
• Nocturnal habit makes them invisible by day.
• Population drops fast with consistent nightly removal.

Supplementary Barriers

• Copper tape on bed edges.
• Diatomaceous earth (reapply after rain).
• Beer traps (bury cup to rim, fill with beer).
• Iron phosphate bait (Sluggo) for larger areas.

Be merciless. Two weeks of nightly patrols breaks the cycle. Your beans—and your neighbor's—will thank you.