For those of you dealing with Lily Beetle

[Elena Zimmerman]

Got about half-dozen after the rains and re-powdered. The lilies still look very good, clean leaves, and very few bites.

Dumbo, in my garden, red beetles ignore turk caps lilies (martagons), and I have not seen them on a couple of Asian. They seem to prefer border lilies and feast the most on the fine-leafed Asians, the miniature varieties. Or, maybe the damage was more apparent on them. However, because I found beetles also munching checker lilies, I am thinking that my beetles like finer foliage plants.

Overall, I find the Talc Way pretty effective and squishing beetles not hard. It was trying to deal with slime and larvae that was really BAD, and talc takes care of that.

I think my heart is set on getting a couple of tango-like lilies this fall, if I see my collection to bloom and through bloom this year safely.

[Peggy2296]

I planted 8 Star Gazers this spring. The beetles seem to like just one of them in particular - very odd - and have pretty much ravaged the leaves although the buds are still intact. The other 7 are relatively unscathed. I've used nothing on the plants or beetles, not even the talc.

The very fine-leaved Asiatics I planted were all promptly dug up and ripped to shreds by some animal.

[Eeyore]

UH OH! Marc is in scientist mode again!

[thistle]

Just as I was beginning to feel rather smug about beating the dreaded Beetle,what did I find today? Yep I think you can guess what it was! Fortunately it was only one which was swiftly squished.Now I am positive they are coming in from my Neighbour's Yard,I'm going to be very vigilant from now on. I am using the Talc and Neem Oil ,hopefully that will be a good enough deterent.

[HeelsDown]

Ha! I read Dumbo's reply and thought "Huh...well then." Now, I'm with ya & Lyn. Here is my white flag of surrender. As soon as they are done blooming, they are coming out. It's a shame - they are so pretty. All the red ones are out and almost out, the yellows are not far behind and neither are the orange ones. I came home today; however, to a butt load of more larvae. From reading the links Marc put up, this must be the ones coming out of the ground from when they mated...?

It just isn't something I can keep up every couple of days and let's be honest, it's gross! Ugh. The leaves are looking pretty eaten and will likely get worse as the larvae all come up. Now, I decide if I keep talcing until they are done or just stop.

I'll take a picture of them for "remember when" sake.

So, this leads to my next question. Is there a particular way to remove them? And, once I do, will they come back or do they just like lillies?

And, now you'll shortly see a post asking for replacement ideas!

Thanks all! It was a good run, but as Lyn said I hate work too lol!

Jenn

[Dumbo]

oh didn't mean to turn you off to flowers for the rest of your life. Guess I have that affect on people...

*takes off the lab coat and salutes the fallen gardeners*


EDIT:
I haven't read of diatomaceous earth being of use for these things, but... like any shelled or soft-bellied bug, it just may harm them in the infant state. if this stuff is under 10$ at your local nursery (and it should be), I would put some around the base of the plant, and after each rain.

Basically, bugs scratch their shells, stomachs or exoskeleton on this and loose water/fats. They dry out and die.
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomace ... st_control

This will kill worms, butterflies and caterpillars (not many butterflies hanging around on the dirt, no?), in case this worries you. Other than that, no real effect on anything else except for some bugs. It's very low impact (unless you breath it into your lungs). Chemists use diatomaceous earth to pack chromatography columns (separation science) and for regular sample prep. It's also used in pool filters (instead of sand), or added as a pool filter aid.

[moonlitday]

I was weeding the garden and looked up and discovered a (@#*$&@#(*$ beetle. Caught it. Killed it. Talced my lillies. I am NOT a happy camper. Grrr.

[HeelsDown]

Haha! Too funny. Put your lab coat back on Dumbo
Not completely put off flowers forever...but potentially any type of lillies forever!

Jenn

[Dumbo]

discovered a (@#*$&@#(*$ beetle

I can't find the (@#*$&@#(*$ beetle in the bug database. Must be related to the dung beetle.

[Peggy2296]

Not completely put off flowers forever...but potentially any type of lillies forever!

In my experience, they only attack Asiatic lilies - the most beautiful and fragrant of course!

They don't touch Daylilys so you may have to stick with those, but there are a great many colours to choose from, including my favorite, the bright yellow Stella D'oros.