Excessive insects

Extra kinds of  insects and lots of them this year. We have the warm winter to thank. Insect eggs have a better survival rate when winters are warmer. We also had warm southerly winds early in March that can bring in aphids and other insects like different types of cut worm moths. Yippee. When it's hot like this, some insects multiply rapidly. Aphids can also give live birth to 'pregnant babies!' What the...... Aphids normally concentrate on the new growing tissue at the tops of plants where there are more nutrients. Usually what you notice first is the tops of the plants curling up. I usually just smash them, trying not to hurt the leaves. I still have whiteflies (sap suckers) in the green beans, but since they are producing, I won't dust them. Another option would be is to select 'some' plants to dust, and don't use the beans from them. Whiteflies move around through the plants, so may be able to still kill some of them. You could do this with any plant group.

Tobacco mosaic virus: can be spread by the nicotine residue off the fingers of a smoker to the plant tissue through touching. I have an example plant in my field, dang it. Yes, it CAN happen!!!  (not me!)