I thought I had pretty much dealt with these rotten little beasties, but have noticed this week a lot more of the little beggars. Has anyone else had an increase of late? I really hate these nasty buggers and their dirty little offspring. I'm sure you have had discussions about them but has there been an increase in your garden?
A second attack of red lily beetle
I hate them too--they are so voracious AND so incredibly crimson--ordinarily I might love the color, but not on these guys. I have noticed an increase in their numbers this last week on my lilies here on Cape Cod--not sure why, since the weather hasn't been particularly different in any way from earlier in the month.
The good news is that the color does make them easy to spot and shake into a bucket of soapy water. Wonder what adaptive reason Mother Nature had in mind for their bright red coloration?
Okay I know nothing about the treatment for it but I do know we got those same bugs! And boy do they destroy the lilies!! My mom swear by bulb powder? Sorry if I got that wrong but I think that is what she said. And yes it does work! It gets rid of those darn red nasties!!!
For some reason this year I have killed 3 or 4 of them and that has been all that I have seen. My lilies look the best that they EVER have. Not sure why I didn't have many because I couldn't keep up with them last year. Haven't had too many Japanese Beetles either.
I haven't done the research on the Red Lily Beetle yet but if they start out as a grub like the Japanese Beetles do, then the only reason I may not have many is because my pet skunk *lol* LOVES to dig for grubs everynight after I go in for the night. Think I will let her, her husband, and babies keep living under the shed :)
Kim
Not many JBs here this year either. Maybe the nutty weather did them in early this year. Sounds like you have good grub control there Kim. Early on this year I only found two or three of the red devils here and there, nothing like a few years ago. I think I seem to have a sudden increase because I had stopped looking so carefully every day and several times a day. Maybe the little bit of rain we had hatched out some more. As you say CCG at least once you are aware of the little devils, they do fall right off into the suds. Didn't find any today. :)
I believe those red guys are lily leaf beetles. They will eat leaves but destroy buds. I think it's very specific where they are bad or not (maybe they are not as mobile as JBs).
They hatch out twice a year. This must be the second hatching. I know a chemical that controls them, I have used it, but I don't like to- I'm concerned about poisoning the bees. There has been a natural contol released in some areas, it will take a while to spead and work well. (I think it is a parastic wasp?)
Yes I have heard that about wasps too. I do not use any spray except the old insecticidal soap and baking soda. Hatch out twice, well that's probably the answer then. Come to think of it there was a second wave later in the season last year too. Those wasps can't get them fast enough for me, I hate the little beggars.
I think I just heard they are working on a natural pretatore in MA. My "source" says hit them hard and you can mostly drive them out of your yard. I just emailed Gardens Alive to see what they recommend. They should be back to me in 48 hours.
This message was edited Jul 18, 2007 3:14 PM
I asked the folks at Gardens' Alive. Here is what they sent me:
The adult red lily beetle is an 8mm long, bright-red beetle with black
head and legs.
The beetle larvae have dirty orange-red bodies with black heads; they
are more rounded than the beetle. The larvae could be mistaken for
bird droppings (nice hiding technique) as they cover themselves with
their own slimy black excreta. As long as they get adequate food,
(lilies) they’ll get get to 8-10mm long and then they drop off the
lily to pupate in the soil.
Both adults and larvae eat lily (Lilium and Cardiocrinum spp.) and
fritillaries (Fritillaria spp.) leaves but in heavy infestations
they’ll eat it all - flowers, seed capsules and stems will be eaten to
the ground. You might find them on other plants but they’re only
visiting. They only eat the two plants above and they only breed on
them as well.
This pest will be a problem from early spring until late fall unless
they are controlled.
Life cycle
Adults emerge from the soil in April and May to begin feeding on lily
leaves. About four weeks after emergence, they lay their eggs on the
underside of lily leaves. The eggs hatch after seven days. The emerged
beetle larvae take about two weeks to grow up and then they drop to
the soil to pupate. Two to three weeks after that, the adults emerge,
begin feeding again and complete the life cycle. Only one generation
is produced in a season.
The red lily beetles overwinter as adults in sheltered places, often
in the soil or under layers of mulch at the base of lily plants.
Predators In parts of mainland Europe the red lily beetle is kept in
check by four species of parasitic wasp that attack the larval stage.
These have yet to be imported to N.A.
Control
Organic gardeners will usually do several things:
Hand-pick the beetles. Drown them in soapy water (the water has to be
soapy so the beetles don’t just swim and crawl out) If you get all the
red lily beetles in the early spring when they first emerge from the
ground, you’ll not see too many more problems the rest of the summer.
If you miss picking them, your lilies will be eaten to the ground.
Use diatomaceous earth. This powder is reputed to work on the red lily
beetle by giving it lots of tiny cuts and the insect dies from
dehydration.
Neem oil is said to be quite effective when it hits the red lily
beetle. Note that it MUST be reapplied regularly as water (dew or
rain) will wash it off the leaves. Our product, Pyola will also
control this pest.
Soapy water does NOT work – you only have a clean red lily beetle.
"Soapy water does NOT work as you only have a clean red lily beetle."
LOL, who says garden-catalog writers don't have a sense of humor?
Dave, thanks for getting the info on controlling these - I printed it out for next year!
I usually take a small paper cup with vegetable oil and drown them in that. When I've seen the "bird poop" larvae, I often cut the leaves off, thinking they were slugs or something - now they'll get the oil/soapy water treatment too!
Your welcome Sue!