Holes in Lily plant leaves

Joined: 03 May 2008 Posts: 84

My latest little criters were spotted yesterday - the bright red Lily beetles.

see below for two websites' comments

flo

Scarlet or Red Lily beetle

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/lilybeetle_red.htm

In the spring the adults climb out of the soil and after mating the female lays her bright orange eggs in lines under the leaves of Lily plants or Fritillaries. The orange larvae emerge after 7 to 10 days and begin feeding - first instars from underneath and later ones eat through the foliage, working from the tip to the stem. They cover themselves with their sticky black excrement to act as a deterrent to predators, so the orange colour disappears and they are more difficult to spot. The larvae cause most of the damage and spend two to three weeks stripping the foliage, then the flower buds before dropping to the ground to pupate. After two to three weeks the bright orange pupae have metamorphosed into new adults which climb into the plants to continue the cycle. Mating can occur from spring until autumn and surviving adults move to the ground to spend the winter.
The adults have been found on other plants including Lily of the Valley, Soloman's seal and Day Lilies. The larvae have only been found on bulbous Lilies and Fritillaries.

Control

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0500/beetle.asp
Inspect plants regularly, and pick off and destroy any adults, eggs or grubs when seen.
Infested plants can be sprayed with imidacloprid + sunflower oil (Bayer Provado Ultimate Bug Killer concentrate) or thiacloprid (Provado Ultimate Bug Killer Ready To Use). The larvae are more susceptible to insecticides than the adults.

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 6:34 pm Post subject:

Thanks Flo, I've squished 3 of the blighters so far this year. It's a pity because they are really colourful.
_________________
Bob

Cornishman in exile.