Lily beetles

Discussion in 'Pests, Diseases and Cures' started by NigelJ, Apr 2, 2017.

  1. NigelJ

    NigelJ Total Gardener

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    Are lily beetles fonder of some types of lilies than others. I have a clump of L henryi that very seldom has lily beetles on it and yet near by are a couple of hybrid lilies that I regularly remove the beetles from.
     
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    • Verdun

      Verdun Passionate gardener

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      Yes I think so Nigel. Never see them on Regal lilies for example but, for some reason, similar lilies are free or attacked. :)
       
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      • ARMANDII

        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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        They're also supposed to like Fritillaria.:dunno: I actually stopped growing Lilies as I seemed to be killing a growing number over the recent years. But, I was surprised to find 3 growing in a large pot where I thought there was none and, so far, on those plants I have not seen one Lily Beetle. Having said that, I did find just one further away on a young Lupin......suffice to say he/she is no longer in this world.:snorky:
         
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        • Linz

          Linz Total Gardener

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          !@#$ dammit! They are too cute :(
          20170522_120605.jpg
           
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          • Scudo

            Scudo Gardener

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            Oh dear! being naive (as not knowing what it was) I have see one each year for the past 2 years and as they were a striking colour I just left it alone, never appeared to do any noticeable damage. BUT...I will keep a watchful eye this year. If they start chomping its game on.
             
          • ARMANDII

            ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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            Their larvae will do the real damage once they get out of their eggs, Scudo.:dunno::gaah::snorky:

            "Lily beetle


            Lilies (Lilium species and hybrids), Giant lilies (Cardiocrinumspecies) and fritillaries (Fritillaria species) can be extensively defoliated by the common and widespread insect known as lily beetle or red lily beetle.



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            Quick facts
            Common name Red lily beetle or lily beetle
            Scientific name Lilioceris lilii
            Plants affected Lilies (Lilium) fritillaries (Fritillaria)
            Main symptoms Foliage is eaten by red beetles and their black excrement-coated grubs
            Most active Late March-October

            What is red lily beetle?


            Lily beetle and its larvae are leaf-eating insects of lilies and fritillaries. The adult beetles are very occasionally found on other plants but lilies and fritillaries are the only plants on which eggs are laid and the grubs develop. Apart from spoiling the plants' appearance, attacks in early summer can result in undersized bulbs developing, which may not flower next year. Lily beetle has become widespread in the UK over the past three decades.

            Symptoms


            Most gardeners first become aware of the presence of lily beetle when their plants are stripped of foliage. Look out for;

            • Adult beetles which are 8mm long and have bright red wing cases and thorax. The head and legs are black
            • Clusters of orange-red, sausage-shaped eggs on the undersides of leaves
            • Larvae which reach 6-8mm long and are rotund, reddish brown with black heads. They are usually completely hidden under their own wet black excrement
            • Young grubs graze away the underside of leaves, resulting in white or brown dried up patches. The older grubs eat entire leaves, starting at the tips and working back to the stem, they will also feed on petals, stem and seed pods
            • Adult beetles make rounded holes in the leaves and will also feed on petals and seed pods


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            Adult lily beetles mating
            Control


            Non chemical control
            Where only a few lilies and fritillaries are being grown, the plants should be regularly inspected from late March onwards so that adult beetles, larvae and eggs can be removed by hand. The lily 'Defender Pink' is advertised as lily beetle tolerant.

            Chemical control
            • Pesticides are likely to be more effective on larvae than adults
            • Heavy infestations which are impractical to remove by hand can be treated with pesticides
            • Organic insecticides containing natural pyrethrins (e.g. Bug Clear Gun for Fruit or Defenders Bug Killer, ecofective Bug Killer (also contains fatty acids)). Several application of these short persistence products may be necessary to give good control
            • Synthetic pyrethroid pesticides such as lambda-cyhalothrin (e.g. Westland Resolva Bug Killer), or deltamethrin (e.g. Bayer Sprayday Greenfly Killer) can be used
            • The systemic neonicotinoid insecticide acetamiprid (e.g. Bug Clear Ultra) can also be used
            • Plants in flower should not be sprayed due to the danger to pollinating insects
            • Inclusion of a pesticide product does not indicate a recommendation or endorsement by the RHS. It is a list of products currently available to the home gardener
            Biology


            Red lily beetle overwinters as adult beetles in soil, leaf litter and other sheltered places. This could be anywhere, not necessarily in the vicinity of lilies and fritillaries. Consequently, there is no advantage in attempting to treat the soil below lily plants. The beetles begin emerging on sunny days in late March and April when they seek out the foliage of host plants.

            Eggs are laid in small batches on the underside of leaves during April to mid-summer. The eggs hatch and the larvae feed on the foliage. When fully fed, the larvae go into the soil to pupate. The next generation of adult beetles emerges from mid-summer onwards. These beetles add to the feeding damage but there is only one generation a year and these late summer adults will not mate and lay eggs until the following year."


             
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            • Mike Allen

              Mike Allen Total Gardener

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              Ah yes. The Lily beetle. (Liloceris lilii) This brightly dressed creature is amongst the hardest to control of garden pests. It might come to your attention as the scarlet coloured beetle. Then checking your lily plants, you suddenly find some leaves have these dollops of muck on them. Within this dollop of muck, yes, exctreta. A yound bug is developing. Get rid of quick. Finger and thumb method. The grubs grow fast and within days, your lilies will have damaged leaves. I have to admit to date I haven't found any of my lily flower buds damaged or attacked by this critter, leaves yes and stems.
              Hunting down the scarlet invader. Truly they stand out. I have actually picked some off my rhododendrons in mid winter. As previously mentioned. The lily beetle is hard to deal with. As a retired plant pathologist, chemical aids seem to be of little or no avail. So back to finger and thumb.

              Snails have slimed their way into the thread. OK. Basically to help rid your garden of snails. Get rid of rubbish. Constantly examine border bounderies such as. Raised edging, containers and the like. Pots...check under the rims. Yes there are many chemical aids. A word of warning. You find a snail. Don't waste time and effort.....chucking it over the fence.
              A study by a great university proved that. Shell marked snails, captured and logged etc in a garden, then deposited far away. Within a short space of time. The same snails were once again found in the same garden. As part of the same experiment. It was discovered that the slime trai left by snails contained so much information. For instance. Baby snails remained as such until a snail trail stopped. To us. The trail had ended, the owner was no more. To the baby snail. This is the signal to grow and to take over that trail. Sounds farcical but true.
               
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              • Verdun

                Verdun Passionate gardener

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                Lily beetle is easy to control with chemicals but not the way to go. Yep, they do indeed look "so cute" but dont be deceived! They are deadly!! Vigilance....as Mike said...looking for signs of excretia, holes in leaves etc.....is prob as effective as anything. This year I plan to use cut up fly trap pieces near the lily stems......an experiment.:)
                 
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                • Mark56

                  Mark56 Super Gardener

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                  I don't believe in spraying, do they do a lily beetle nematode?
                   
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                  • NigelJ

                    NigelJ Total Gardener

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                    Sadly not as far as I know.
                     
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                    • Ned

                      Ned Evaporated

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                      It will be interesting to know the results. There are so many of the darned things here, I stopped growing lilies.
                       
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                      • Mike Allen

                        Mike Allen Total Gardener

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                        I doubt if nematodes would be affective against lily beetles.

                        Unless my knowlege is wrong, nematodes are active in the soil/compost at destroying the grubs such as vine weeval grubs.

                        A bit of advice when squiging or removing the scarlet clad gent. Hold a sheet of paper under the leaf. These critters usually fall onto their backs and lie still. Hell of a job to spot them again.
                         
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                        • ARMANDII

                          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                          I agree with Mike, As soon as you touch a leaf with a Beetle on, the Beetle throws itself to the floor faster than a Footballer.:dunno: It is a Sun Lover so it virtually sits in open view on a Deckchair, wearing Shades, licking an Ice cream letting you ambush it.:heehee::snorky:
                           
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                          • Loki

                            Loki Total Gardener

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                            Couldn't agree more! The little 'bright red' critters fall upside down! Then seem to disappear :scratch::doh: I hate them almost as much as lupin affids :th scifD36:
                             
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                            • Mike Allen

                              Mike Allen Total Gardener

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                              Sorry to hear that Tetters. Lilies are such fantastic subjects. I have to admit, I spend quite a bit each year on fresh bulbs. Sadly, yes. I do have failures usually due to slugs and baby snails.

                              I notice recently in the local pound shop, spools of copper tape. Copper tape or bands can be fixed around the pot or container. I dare say a brushing of copper sulfate would also do the trick. Snails and slugs wont cross over the copper. Of course you must make certain that no part of the plant is close to another. Truly I could tell you experiences and experiments I have had and conducted with these pests.
                               
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