Lilly Beetle

[runnerbean]

Can anyone tell me what lilly beetles, I have some small red insects on my lillies that are munching away, like thin lady birds without spots. Any ideas anyone?

[DunDiggin]

If they look like the beetles in these pictures they're lily beetles.
Apart from the damage done by the adults the larva can decimate bulbs left to overwinter in pots. Treat either by removing bulbs over winter or by dowsing with a Provado drench (also good for vine weevils).
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0500/beetle.asp
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.c...beetle_red.htm

Lily beetles are active now and I've been killing several a day since I moved my lilies outside 10 days ago.

[runnerbean]

Thanks DD I have killed about 10 so far, and they have started nibbling my lillies, I have never seen them before on my lillies, and I have loads of plants as I love them.

[green grass]

hi its the eggs and the larae you need to kill or they will go into your soil or pots and stay there all winter then reappear in spring as adult spiders lay more eggs . you need to take your bulbs out and dispose of your compost ,
then next year plant your bulbs later[june time ] when they have finished laying there eggs spray your plants now with any type of bug killer.

[Daisy-Charmer]

Hi, i being naive, i first thought these insects were harmless . I thought they were some sort of spotless ladybird too. I just left them to it... A gardening friend told me i must remove them . I did but didn't check the the plant often enough and to my horror the plant was wrecked; the sight underneath the leaves turned my stomache. There were black 'blobs' of yuk which i understand to be the lavae of the beetle covered in it's own excrement! Just vile!

[TPeers]

Gardens are a lovesome thing!

You don't want to know what most of the wildlife are upto!

Gave up on growing lilies - it's like growing hostas - food for the baddies and nothing for me!

[cajary]

Provado works fine. Poisons the whole plant and kills anything munching on it. 'Course, if you're organic, then don't grow lillies