´óÏó´«Ã½

TV and RadioÌý permalink

Those pesky lily beetles

• Message 1.Ìý

  Posted by paradise1 (U2692038) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  Those pesky lily beetles are out in force again and there mating already. Damaging my Fritillaries and on the new lily shoots.
  
  Anybody else got them?
  
  How you doing Supermum? I have sown over twenty varieties of seed, which I said I wouldn't do! It's a labour of love. Still love watercolours though.
  
  

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Annerow (U3815262) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  What do lily beetles look like? We have been plaged by tiny beetles the size of grains of rice they are black or dark brown in colour How can we be rid of them? Those pesky lily beetles are out in force again and there mating already. Damaging my Fritillaries and on the new lily shoots.
  
  Anybody else got them?
  
  How you doing Supermum? I have sown over twenty varieties of seed, which I said I wouldn't do! It's a labour of love. Still love watercolours though.
  
  Ìý

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Gardenmouse (U2443843) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  Lily beetles are red, about 8mm long, and I believe they are quite specific in their preference for lilies and fritilaries. They were first seen around Sussex, I think, and have spread north and west - I don't know how far they have got. On my madonna lilies they strip the leaves off and are generally voracious; the plants survive but look miserable. I am too squeamish to pick them off (the only approach, I think) directly, but I have worked out a solution: I make a loop of selotape, sticky side out, and stick them to it. Then I squash them. You have to be stealthy - they scuttle down into the heart of the plant otherwise.
  Hope this helps,
  GM

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by tillybud (U3692141) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  I have trouble with red beetle things on my lilies. My beetle things look like ladybirds without the spots and have very hard shell. towards the end of the summer, they appear to turn into a mushy black mess which seems to be stuck to the lilly stem. Are these Lily beetles i wonder? I am in the North.

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message4

• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  Yes. The squishy mess is the larvae which will provide the next generation and scoff your plants.
  
  I saw my first one of the season today, on a hardy geranium and nowhere near any lily family plants. It is now deceased. I also saw my first cabbage white butterfly today and have found shiny new snails in my hemerocallis, irises and daffs.
  
  The season for "constant vigilance" is starting early this year. At least last year's drought and the very hard winter we've had here seem to have reduced the slug poulation to manageable proportions.

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message5

• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by exkiwi (U1080243) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  I had planted a lot of Fritillaria in my garden and lost nearly all of them last year because i didn't catch onto the lily beetles fast enough. As you say when you try to catch them they just sort of drop off and plummet to the ground and can't be found. I haven't seen them on the few plants I have left yet this year but I'm checking. I thought the beetles were pretty until I found out what they were now I check out all new bugs carefully before letting them stay (as there are benefical ones as well).

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message6

• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by paradise1 (U2692038) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  You are right gardenmouse they are clever little things - as soon as there is any movement they drop to the earth turning upside down so that they are hard to find. Not long and they are up on the stem again, I catch them and squash them. It's the only way. Don't like it though.
  

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message7

• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  Heard my first cuckoo this evening so it's not all bad bug news - unless you're another bird and he nicks your nest. No swallows or swifts yet though.

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message8

• Message 9

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  Hi Jen,
  
  I put a bit of paraffin in a jar and drop them into that. They die pretty quickly, but I don't have to deal with the unpleasantness of squashing them (can't stand the sound of it)
  
  As far as their northern boundaries go, I'm near Manchester and I get them most years now.

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message9

• Message 10

  , in reply to message 9.

  Posted by 8supermum (U2768246) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  We get them over here in Wales too, I usually take my mug of tea round the garden with me, and find that if I put the mug under the lilies leaves, when they sense the movement they drop into the cup, I caught 8 pairs (up to no good) today, I have got a lot of lilies though..

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message10

• Message 11

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by Madmary (U3568971) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  Hear in E. Dorset I've got loads of the little devils, all over my tulips, as the lilies are only just peeking through. I must have killed two dozen so far, and have to go out every day. Must try the tea thing as I don't enjoy squashing them either. Hope you don't drink the tea though

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message11

• Message 12

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by U2331885 (U2331885) on Thursday, 20th April 2006

  We get them over here in Wales too, I usually take my mug of tea round the garden with me, and find that if I put the mug under the lilies leaves, when they sense the movement they drop into the cup, I caught 8 pairs (up to no good) today, I have got a lot of lilies though..Ìý
  
  I also caught of load of the wife swapping fornicating red devils off my lilliums! By the way Supermum are they a particularly nice & crunchy substitute for sugar when they land in your tea?
  
  PS: I'm not going to even dare ask whether slugs "pep up" your cuppa soup!

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message12

• Message 13

  , in reply to message 12.

  Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Friday, 21st April 2006

  I like the drowning in noxious fluid idea too. Don't drink tea and am not going to waste my organic fair trade decaf coffee so will try paraffin. It took me 3 goes to squish the blighter I caught yesterday!

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message13

• Message 14

  , in reply to message 13.

  Posted by paradise1 (U2692038) on Friday, 21st April 2006

  Hi Supermum and Trillium
  
  Good Idea re paraffin and tea. I'm off out into the garden on the hunt cup or jar in hand.
  
  Thanks

  Link to this forum: Those pesky lily beetles

  Report message14

Back to top