Lily beetle

I use Garlic & Lavender as Sprays against insects, but to be honest with my lilies I spray with Provado in Spring & that usually keeps them beetle free for the summer then as I didn't find the garlic spray stopped them..
I only use chemicals when I find there is no other way for me..

 

The thing to remember with any chemical spray/insecticide, Liz, is to try to spray as little as possible and early in the morning or later in the evening when the Bees and beneficial insects aren't around.
It's not the Lily Beetle itself that does the damage but the larvae of them. The trouble is Chemical Spray won't "touch" them as they cover themselves up in their own waste so the only real way to kill the larvae is to wipe them off with a soapy cloth.

 

No but Provado is systemic Armandii so I spray as early on as I can in the year & late evening myself, then if any larvea do hatch they die as the provado is in the plant they eat, but of course I squish if i see larvea or beetles & then give the plant a light hose down anyway..

 

You're right of course, Marley, Provado is systemic and it's one of the reasons I don't use it. Because the insecticide permeates every cell of the sprayed plant it also insinuates itself into the pollen which the Bees pick up and take back to the Hive. I didn't realise this until the French Agricultural College did some research on the subject and connected Hive Collapse with Systemic Insecticides.

 

Hmm.. That I didn't know...