Oriental and Asiatic lilies are particularly yummy to the lily leaf beetle, and the three successive generations of these bugs per summer can denude a lily as quickly as that.
No leaves, then no food production to feed the bulb. Soon, no bulb.
In my garden, 2009 was the worst invasion yet of these pretty, but voracious, red beetles. For info on safe control of the adults and larvae (fingers may be involved), see my posts from June and August of last year, here and here. But the best defense is at the egg stage, when they'll hold still long enough for the Flying Squishing Fingers of Fate to do their business. Get to it.
What a horrible pest! Thank you for posting this warning.
ReplyDeleteI've never known of them coming this far south, but I'm going out soon and look under leaves, just in case.
Thanks for the info Helen. I'm going to check my lilies for beetle eggs this morning. Now I know what I'm looking for, thanks to this post.
ReplyDeleteGreat alert! These beetles are really bad news to our lilies! I have been ruthless with them... fingers being my most ready weapon. In protecting my lilies I can bear my murderous behavior. I leave the carcasses on the plants to warn other beetles off. Gardening can be such a battle of the fittest! I had not thought to look for eggs. Thank You!
ReplyDeleteI have mostly given up on lilies because of the beetles. How can anything so pretty be so pestilential? but then I suppose Snow white's stepmother was pretty hot too and she was up to all sorts of no good.
ReplyDeleteHelen, Thanks for this information. I took most of my lilies out about 5 years ago when, given the combination of deer who liked to nip the buds off and beetles that left the rest of the plant a disgusting mess of black poo, I realized that I actually saw very few lily blooms. A few hardy plants somehow persisted, though. I find it just about impossible to capture these pests in the beetle stage; they move so fast. I will get out and look for eggs. -Jean
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip Helen. I've only seen and killed two this season on their favourite spring feast of Fritillarias.
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