Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: shelagh on April 20, 2016, 01:47:16 PM

Title: Lily Beetles
Post by: shelagh on April 20, 2016, 01:47:16 PM
Said to Brian yesterday "the Lilies are through", just about 2inches tall, "we must keep a look out for Lily beetles".  Well I found the first one this morning. Xray specs from now on.
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: Maggi Young on April 20, 2016, 02:05:20 PM
I nearly fainted when Roma - only  twenty or so miles away from here  - found her first lily beetles of the year just a month ago - I felt that was very early but immediately went out to check the Crown Imperials which were about the first  things I could expect to find the beetles on. Still looking but so far so good.
I've just been helping Molly on a mouse hunt (unsuccessful)  - there are so many critters after our plants!  :'(
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: Darren on April 20, 2016, 06:12:35 PM
Usual first victim here is Frit camschatcensis. Checked just now and ok so far.

We didn't see any more all year after a sudden cold snap in May last year so I am hoping that the forecast frosts for this weekend might do the same for any adults already emerged, even if the plants don't like it!

Thanks for the warning Shelagh.

Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: Lori S. on April 20, 2016, 07:04:17 PM
I nearly fainted when Roma - only  twenty or so miles away from here  - found her first lily beetles of the year just a month ago...(
I find adults emerging on warm days in March, when the surface of the soil is warm but still frozen beneath... in zone 3!   :(
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: Maggi Young on April 20, 2016, 07:13:37 PM
I find adults emerging on warm days in March, when the surface of the soil is warm but still frozen beneath... in zone 3!   :(

 Good grief - that's scary.  Where are these critters getting their cold weather clothes?  ;) ;D
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: Tristan_He on April 20, 2016, 08:40:52 PM
They haven't reached us yet, thank goodness. I expect it's only a matter of time though.
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: johnw on April 20, 2016, 10:53:36 PM
Sorry to say I was killing lily beetles here the last few weeks, they were at the bottom of cold frames wandering in the frozen wood chips, also clammering to find a hole in the screening on above ground frames.  Friends saw the first ones 5-6 weeks ago when lows of -7c were routine.  One year we saw them in February.  Cold - no effect and come they will!

johnw
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: TC on April 21, 2016, 01:29:15 PM
I have found two wandering about in separate areas of the garden in the last couple of weeks.  As it is a gardening day today, blue skies, sunshine and a temp. of 18°c we will have to keep a look out.  The trouble for me is that at a distance they look like ladybirds.   A peacock butterfly stayed for a spell before moving off when we were planting MORE dwarf Rhods. today after our trip yesterday to Benmore and then to the Tree shop at Loch Fyne.
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: brianw on April 05, 2017, 09:59:10 PM
They are back here. Found two copulating on a Fritillaria meleagris today. ;-(
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: Darren on April 06, 2017, 12:49:26 PM
Been watching for them since Dave Morris told me he'd seen one or two last week, and he isn't far from us.

None so far but we have had a run of warmish sunny days so I expect they will appear soon.

Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: Carolyn on April 06, 2017, 01:24:20 PM
I found one a couple of days ago on my martagon lilies. It did not survive. Last year was the first time I saw lily beetles here. I hope I don't have to give up growing lilies and frits -I ended up doing that when I lived in the south of England, the infestations got so bad. I can't spray against them - I have frits and martagon lilies scattered all over the garden.
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: jomowi on May 12, 2017, 08:29:26 PM
I found one lily beetle early on this season, with no more until 5 showed up in the last two days. Either the cold weather laid them low, or this is the  next generation.  Of the 5 I found, 2 pairs were mating, so the next generation is on the way.  Not from them, though, - their activities were cut short under my foot!
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: shelagh on May 13, 2017, 02:07:02 PM
I'm glad to say that because of that huge Corydalis Wildside Blue I posted the Lily beetles don't seem to have been able to find my Martagon this year :D
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: annew on May 18, 2017, 07:40:01 PM
I'm with Maureen! Still getting them on Lilies and frits. Also squishing Solomon's Seal sawflies on my Polygonatums and smilacinas.
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: Graham Catlow on August 20, 2017, 11:24:09 AM
Found my first lily beetle in this garden today (been here just over two years). Quite by accident when I was weeding. Only one lily showing signs of damage so hopefully this will be the only one (wishful thinking  ::))
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: Steve Garvie on August 20, 2017, 02:17:15 PM
Found my first lily beetle in this garden today (been here just over two years). Quite by accident when I was weeding. Only one lily showing signs of damage so hopefully this will be the only one (wishful thinking  ::))
I'm about 3 miles (and a long swim) north of you. Had Lily beetles for the first time ever this year.  All were adults that sequentially appeared on a patio potful of a yellow Oriental hybrid. Despite careful checks I have found no evidence of eggs or larvae anywhere and no signs of the red bug on my other lilies. The flying adults seemed to be pulled in by the scent and colour of these yellow lilies.
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: brianw on April 07, 2018, 06:53:02 PM
Even earlier than last year. THEIR BACK. Just checked to see if some lilies were through and found 6+ beetles having their way with each other amongst the 2 inch shoots.
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: shelagh on April 07, 2018, 08:42:23 PM
The little s**s.  Our garden has been flooded again at the bottom so I'm hoping they haven't got their water wings.
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: Maggi Young on September 18, 2018, 06:02:57 PM
Interesting link from Laurence Hill of Fritillaria Icones ....
Managing Lily Leaf Beetles through Parasitoid Release: Study using biological control by Eshenaur & Lamb https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/57147
Title: Re: Lily Beetles
Post by: brianw on September 18, 2018, 09:51:37 PM
I have found more this year than ever before. Not sure if this says more about me or the beetles ;-) I was still finding them 2 weeks ago. Some days 8 or 10 on a very small group of lilies, then few for a couple of weeks. Guess they hatch in batches. One group of plants had many in early summer then almost none later. Another group only had them in late summer, whereas another group a few yards away had almost none all year.
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