Grow Your Own Magazine

My broad beans are about one-two feet tall. I have noticed that ants are climbing up them and are swarming all over the fower heads. Is this a problem, do I need to stop them? Why are they doing this?

Have you any blackfly on them? The ants could be 'farming' them for the honeydew they produce, and they fight off other predators to protect their livestock.

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Hi

Have a close look at your growing tips and young leaves.Ants are known to nurse and tend aphids if you have ants trekking up and down the plant stems this could be the reason

Look closer!! The ants aren't there for the exercise. They are putting baby blackfly on your beans so the blackfly can suck the life out of your plants and the ants can feed on the sugary substance (honeydew) that the blackfly produce. KILL THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!