Such a pity there seems to be no way that we can explain to our natural predators that they could eat them - they must be predated upon from whence they come, hence the falling with the dark undersides facing up so the predator in question won't see them. Dreadful damage they cause to our lilies, somewhat less to the frits so far - but I do grow alot of lilies, both in pots and in the ground. I will not be beaten by something someone brought in without checking the contents of the pots and/or soil - grrr!!! Forward friendly teastrainer ......... the sun is up.
Just spent half an hour collecting up dozens and dozens of the little grubs that cover them selves in their own poo! Collected about 3 of the red adults but a few got away.I'll be keeping a look out for them in future seeing as iv'e never come across them before.
Yes, the poo covered larvae are a joy and a delight aren't they- not!! Trouble I find is spotting them once the lilies leaves thicken up, but we can just keep trying. Not so many adutls today, mind I did have a killing spree on Sunday - but they are doubtless still there in numbers.
I've had four adults on my lillies this year, never had them before, no damage to the leaves yet but where do look to find the larvae, me thought they were in the compost.
Aha Zoomer, they caught you out too huh? No, although they do go into the compost for the winter, where they hatch out into the following years red horrors, the eggs are laid on the leaves of the lily. Each egg becomes a first stage larva, and then coveres itself with its own excreta, sticking it to the leaf. If you look under the leaves, you will see black sticky spots, slightly irregular in shape, each is a lily beetle larva. They need removing to reduce the numbers that will grow over the winter and hatch into full beetles next spring. Use an old cloth or something to wipe it off with, it is all quite disgusting. Some of my leaves were so full of it that I just took off the whole leaf. So far, that has not been necessary this year. The beetles themselves come out less when it is cool, and in numbers when it gets warmer. If you have found 4, there are many more somewhere. Sometimes you see them on other plants on their way (I assume) from one plant to the next. They eat fritillaries as well, but not day lilies which are not a member of the true lily family. Some people have had such infestations that they have moved over to day lilies from asiatic or other lilies. You do need to keep yur eyes open, they're there, the little perishers!
I've only found the two this year, and I do check whenever I'm in the garden. Do you think there's a chance that the little blighters drowned in the soggy compost last year, or that the rain and prolonged winter has something to do with seeming to have fewer this year?
Just hope the numbers don't skyrocket *if* we get the heatwave predicted for next week.
I'd love to think the blighters drowned, yet they seem to be here is some numbers, though I will admit fewer than is some years. Maybe they will die out naturally? No, come to think of it, probably not - look at japanese knotweed - or rather don't! They didn't reduce in the bitter winter of a few years ago - maybe they don't like having their antennae wet.
There I was thinknig how lucky am I just to have seen four beetles, so the rest must be hiding, it'll be gloves on and a full scale search over the weekend.
I have just found some of these horrible little monsters all over my lillies. Ive been growing lillies for a few years now and this is the first time Ive seen any sign of these beetles. Im heart broken as they have practically eaten my lillies over night so its not looking like Ill be having v any of my beautiful flowers this year.
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Such a pity there seems to be no way that we can explain to our natural predators that they could eat them - they must be predated upon from whence they come, hence the falling with the dark undersides facing up so the predator in question won't see them. Dreadful damage they cause to our lilies, somewhat less to the frits so far - but I do grow alot of lilies, both in pots and in the ground. I will not be beaten by something someone brought in without checking the contents of the pots and/or soil - grrr!!! Forward friendly teastrainer ......... the sun is up.
Just spent half an hour collecting up dozens and dozens of the little grubs that cover them selves in their own poo! Collected about 3 of the red adults but a few got away.I'll be keeping a look out for them in future seeing as iv'e never come across them before.
Yes, the poo covered larvae are a joy and a delight aren't they- not!! Trouble I find is spotting them once the lilies leaves thicken up, but we can just keep trying. Not so many adutls today, mind I did have a killing spree on Sunday - but they are doubtless still there in numbers.
I've had four adults on my lillies this year, never had them before, no damage to the leaves yet but where do look to find the larvae, me thought they were in the compost.
Aha Zoomer, they caught you out too huh? No, although they do go into the compost for the winter, where they hatch out into the following years red horrors, the eggs are laid on the leaves of the lily. Each egg becomes a first stage larva, and then coveres itself with its own excreta, sticking it to the leaf. If you look under the leaves, you will see black sticky spots, slightly irregular in shape, each is a lily beetle larva. They need removing to reduce the numbers that will grow over the winter and hatch into full beetles next spring. Use an old cloth or something to wipe it off with, it is all quite disgusting. Some of my leaves were so full of it that I just took off the whole leaf. So far, that has not been necessary this year. The beetles themselves come out less when it is cool, and in numbers when it gets warmer. If you have found 4, there are many more somewhere. Sometimes you see them on other plants on their way (I assume) from one plant to the next. They eat fritillaries as well, but not day lilies which are not a member of the true lily family. Some people have had such infestations that they have moved over to day lilies from asiatic or other lilies. You do need to keep yur eyes open, they're there, the little perishers!
I've only found the two this year, and I do check whenever I'm in the garden. Do you think there's a chance that the little blighters drowned in the soggy compost last year, or that the rain and prolonged winter has something to do with seeming to have fewer this year?
Just hope the numbers don't skyrocket *if* we get the heatwave predicted for next week.
I'd love to think the blighters drowned, yet they seem to be here is some numbers, though I will admit fewer than is some years. Maybe they will die out naturally? No, come to think of it, probably not - look at japanese knotweed - or rather don't! They didn't reduce in the bitter winter of a few years ago - maybe they don't like having their antennae wet.
I've only found one this year too, but I did spot it's eggs and hopefully got them all off.
I have just found some of these horrible little monsters all over my lillies. Ive been growing lillies for a few years now and this is the first time Ive seen any sign of these beetles. Im heart broken as they have practically eaten my lillies over night so its not looking like Ill be having v any of my beautiful flowers this year.
Mission squash the monsters is on!