Allotments 4 All

This is new to me but then I'm a newbie, my lottie neighbour told me she sprayed her runner beans with a concoction of water and 2 table spoons full of sugar to attract bees to pollinate.

Has this been discussed B4? does it work? Hope so because I allowed her to spray mine :o ;D :-\

Unlikely. It certainly won't attract honey bees as they're looking for sources of the richest possible nectar (it varies widely in sugar content), and go for quantity.

I grow borage or other flowers near to my beans to attract pollinators. it works.

I would have thought it would have encouraged the arrival of aphids and ants!  :o  Never heard of that, much better to grow things like sweetpeas with the beans.

Doesn't seem to encourage the baddies at all. I think aphids prefer smooth leaved things (they suck sap) and the borage is hairy. Don't get much of an ant problem, I'm on heavy clay.

I don't think it would make much difference Roy. Runner beans are mostly pollinated by bumble bees, which are promiscuos pollinators, not by honey bees which are dedicated pollinators. The bumble bees will simply move from flower to flower, irrespective of species, and will not be particularly attracted by high sugar levels. During warm periods the water may be making the difference as the pollen will stand less chance of drying out before it reaches the ovules! As EJ points out it will certainly help the aphid population though.
Some references, one is good:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0800/runner_beans.asp
the other, hmm:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?PHPSESSID=c9cf2dc83dfd51dfe8f4b962d9dc1e68&topic=7142.msg59711

Does this answer the earlier questions about aubs, peppers etc - in a nutshell?

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0502/pollination.asp

;D Thanks Guys ;D I think I may give this treatment a miss next year then and plant flowers around instead. ;)