Forum home Talkback
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Talkback: Dealing with lily beetle

BenDoverBenDover Posts: 488
I catch lilly beetles with a spring loaded meash infusor (used for infusing tea leaves) which I hold open over the lilly beetle and then snap shut. Before it knows what's happening, I've captured it. I gently pull the meash infuser away, letting go a little bit of a grip so as not to damage the lilly leaf, and then put the meash infusor with contained beetle into hot water to kill it. Totally organic (no chemicals), and mildly satisfying!
«13

Posts

  • WintersongWintersong Posts: 2,436

    And there was me feeling guilty about guillotining slugs with my secateursimage It is a quick death no?

  • Lion SLion S Posts: 263

    Wintersong, that is exactly what I do to slugs to!  I refuse to feel guilty, I would feel bad when I'd be using the pellets though. Lily beetles are crushed with whatever I can find - I really love my Fritillaria meleagris- IMO just as quick as boiling them.

  • PatioPatio Posts: 2

    I just catch them in my hand and drop them in the water butt I find they arent very good at swimming 

  • MarineliliumMarinelilium Posts: 213
    Like those other nocturnal nasties these horrors don't like garlic sprayed leaves . A dilute spray of garlic infusion seems to flummox them (as does leaving crushed mint leaves and lavender in the pots later in the summer).



    Once the flowers are open though it's squishing 'em that seems the only remedy. I am a little worried by the amount of satisfaction this gives me TIm Burr, she laughed demonically, so you are not alone.
  • ChrisNHHChrisNHH Posts: 2
    I've found 7 so far, but I've noticed they only attack the older Lilies. The Lilies I planted in the Autumn remain untouched. The older Lilies have a different type of leaf as well. The untouched Lilies happen to be ones advertised last year in Gardener's World (including Tree Lilies). I hold a trowel below them when collecting. I've heard they don't only attack Lilies, our Fritillaria imperialis have given up before they even started. They've gone pale green and will not flower now. Maybe the beetle is to blame?
  • Sooz tooSooz too Posts: 1

    Don't forget to hunt out the eggs underneath the leaves.  They are tiny, but as they are red as well they do stand out so you can squish them.  When I do catch the adult beetles, I pop them on the floor upside down - they stay put as they think they are camouflaged!!!!  And then I crunch them.  Very satisfying.  But not quite as satisying as the crunch you get from a vine weevil.

  • Gary HobsonGary Hobson Posts: 1,892

    I use the finger and thumb method too. I've already posted this photo on a couple of other lily beetle threads. But it is so satisfying:

    http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab51/falcosubbuteo/lily-beetles3.jpg

    The warm dry weather seems to bring them out. I've been finding half-a-dozen, or more, every day while the weather has been fine.

    I think that regular visual inspection, and manual termination, is by far the most reliable and effective way of dealing with these creatures.

  • Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

    Just found my first lily beetle. I crunched it but think if I find any more I will try the tea infuser. - What else can they be used for! Sounds very satisfying and I do love my lilies

  • oldchippyoldchippy Posts: 244

    Gary Hobson can we have some of your dry weather here in Ewell ,We had two dry days over the weekend and its raining again now.That must be over a month of rain.

  • I found lily beatles on my soloman seal today, is this unusual?
Sign In or Register to comment.