Pests and Diseases

Re: Lily beetle already!

bigsusan55 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:32:12 GMT

Well, round here we get so many that I don't count - just pick and squash, pick and squash, pick and squash. It's sufficiently bad that the neighbours ask me to go in and kill the bas****s when they are away overnight! Bonus points when you catch two in flagrante! I do grow a lot of lilies in pots as they just fade away if I put them directly into the heavy clay soil, so probably attract them. But the problem has been much worse since DIY garden centres started selling them so cheaply.

We've also got rosemary beetle now - very pretty little thing, maroon and green. They look like they would make lovely earrings. But they have made an awful mess of my rosemary and sage.

Re: Lily beetle already!

Digger — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:09:51 GMT

Yes my beetles ate the edges of the leaves and I caught one on a fritllary this time.

Re: Lily beetle already!

sue1002 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:46:49 GMT

I've had 4 of them this year that I've squashed. The ones here tend to eat holes in the sides of the leaves rather than the centre Celtic Heart.

Re: Lily beetle already!

Digger — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:39:33 GMT

You have to slaughter them mercilessly, they are in your Wales area, count the blighters as you catch them and then fill in a report form for the rhs pest department, it's very important to count them and tell the rhs when and where you caught them,but you have to kill them, they are a non native invasive species, last year i had 26 of the blighters up in Lancashire!

Re: Lily beetle already!

Celtic Heart — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:35:38 GMT

I have signs of lily beetle damage (holes in centre of leave, right?) but no sign of them anywhere and don't know of anyone in my area with them. Isn't the best way to dispose of them to toss them over the wall to the neighbour's garden when their lilies are looking better than yours?

Re: Lily beetle already!

Mississippi-Sheik — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:29:29 GMT

Only have a few lillies, but this year a plant bought in February from reputable local nursery has been massacred by the blighters. Noticed one beetle a couple of weeks ago and destroyed that. A week later and its covered in bugs and adult beetles (didn't know what the bugs were this time last week). Now hopefully all have been despatched with a late night soaking of Wilkinsons bug spray (a lot cheaper than the others and apparantly it works well).

If all else fails and you are looking for a job Sue!

Re: Lily beetle already!

headfullofbees — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:06:12 GMT

Sprayed lillies a few weeks ago when I noticed a few.

Re: Lily beetle already!

bogweevil — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:10:32 GMT

They caught me by surprise, but as the sprayer was already filled with insecticide to polish off the pieris lace bugs, rose aphids, currant blister aphids and greenfly on the vegetable transplants treating a few more plants was no big deal.

Boggy

Re: Lily beetle already!

Hellebore — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:59 GMT

So far this year I have killed 5 lily beetles on lilies, then yesterday I found one on a hebe and one on a buddleia for heavens sake!! Didn't hear any screams or clicks though, but maybe my ears are still blocked from virus!

Re: Lily beetle already!

sue1002 — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:22:54 GMT

That's a bit like asking how long is a piece of string Kempy My answer is to catch and destroy all the adults and eggs you can find, I think I caught them all that were here last year and I haven't seen any this year yet, fingers crossed...

Re: Lily beetle already!

Kempy — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:18:23 GMT

Yes thats all very funny, but how do we stop the little s---- coming back ?

Re: Lily beetle already!

bogweevil — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 21:48:03 GMT

Bugclear is the stuff - my lilies are still beetle free from the careful covering given in April. I expect your mean Provado Ultimate Bug Killer - that's OK too.

Boggy

Re: Lily beetle already!

Sally — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:59:05 GMT

I was horrified when I spotted the lily beetle on my lilies. I bought the lilies last year and was amazed to see how well they were growing and it was only yesterday that I noticed the leaves were being eaten and didn't even realise that the lily beetle existed. I have got rid of about 6 of them already and am sure will have to get rid of loads more. I've just sprayed them with bug killer but I don't want to ruin the lilies so is this the best thing to use.

Re: Lily beetle already!

Figwort — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:10:01 GMT

If you want to help in the battle against lily beetle I see the RHS has just started an online survey to spot where they're occuring in the country. Hopefully, they'll give everyone that signs up a large mallet to kill them with!

You can take part in the survey here

Re: Lily beetle already!

Lupatria — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:55:15 GMT

Well it's thanks to the lily beetle that I have joined up!!

I bought some lilies last year for the first time even and had a wonderful display so I was looking forward to another display this year.

The lilies were potted up this year and a couple of weeks ago I checked them as they seemed to be disappearing before my very eyes - yes, you've guessed it ........... scarlet lily beetle.

I squashed the one I found and got rid of the eggs and thought that I had solved the problem until today - although my lilies seem to be surviving and are now coming into bud, I found loads of beetles. The worst infected plant was bought this year from Homebase - coincidence????

Anyway there are several less lily beetles in the world - and they didn't squeak at all. Probably because I sprayed all the plants and got rid of the eggs and adults at the same time.

How dare they invade my garden!!!!!

My fish didn't get a chance to eat any of the eggs - but they've had enough wildlife .............. I think they've eaten all the tadpoles that hatched.

And I'm sure they're looking forward to whatever the damsel flies lay - very active they have been today.