lily beetle

I found 5 of the little boogers today. Managed to knock them into a plastic jug. They all lay on their backs and played dead. Put them all in a paper bag and tied it tight and put them under my grass cuttings in my green bin. Then the bin men kindly took them away.(I know, I know...I'm a soft touch I can't kill anything):(

 

nasty 02, :d

 

I think you probably did, them.:D

 

Did anyone see the clip on GW about lily beetles,I thought it was really informative.thats what made me go outside and check.Cunning nasty little creatures.YUK!!:p

 

My mum was only talking about this to me yesterday - she always wondered what happened to the Lily Beetles that just miraculously seemed to disappear just as she was about to trounce them all!

Playing dead! Isn't evolution wonderful - brains the size of an amoeba but they have learned what to do to disguise their bright red outer shells! It certainly worked against my mum!

 

They caught me out last year cookie and they demolished my lovely lillies. Didn't know what I was looking for. But I outsmarted the little beasties this time.I will be out there everyday keeping my beady eye on them!!

 

Yep - Gardeners World has spilled the beans on the Lily Beetle now - their days are numbered!

Mum just has to add a magnifying glass to her lily beetle squishing kit now!

Enjoy your lilies this year O2!

 

Infested again this year, on the lillies and fritillaria - nasty little things. Not much other than a good squashing seems to kill them.:thumb:

 

:DDon't ya just love that 'crack' between your fingers!!:thumb:

 

These are the little pests,incase anyone is not sure.
And this is HOW they multiply

 

EEEEWWWWW Pal,your braver than me!!!

 

They are one off the few creatures I will kill- being introduced here they don't seem to have any predators except us. I tread on them. You should also remember to look for pupa in the soil, hard to spot, eggs on the underside of leaves, and of course the horrid larvae which do the most damage. I pick off as many beetles as I can find, and blast the leaves with hose if I find larvae, or wipe off using gloves.
I also use a quick blast of Provado early in the season. Another website:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Learning/Research/Projects/lily_beetle.htm

Vine weevils are the other creatures I kill. I collect the larvae and leave them for the robins.

 

A really interesting link Liz, The map is dated 2006,it would be interesting to see how widespread they are now 2 years later,because I believe they have even reached as far as Scotland now.

 

10!!! of the little b##*ers i've removed already this year. TG I've only got the one plant, or I would'nt have time for anything else.:eek: