What is this red bug?

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Hortaholic Toronto, Canada Jul 07, 2008

My lilies have red bugs on them. They are actually attractive, looking somewhat like a small, bright red lady bug. But I think they may be responsible for larva that wrap themselves in what I can only describe as poop. The larva/poop clumps are on the leaves and intersections of leaves and stems, and the larva are eating the lily leaves, sometimes skeletonizing them and sometimes eating them right off. Has anyone else encountered this, and is there any solution other than nasty chemicals or hand picking (ugh)?

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growgirl59 Saint Louis, MO Jul 08, 2008

They are called Asian lily beetles and they are getting to be a big problem. Here, they are found mostly in the Northeast. You are right about the poop wrap. They do it to protect themselves during the middle stage of their life - larva stage. Eventually they drop to the ground and bury themselves and return later to continue eating the lilys. Look for eggs on the underside of the leaves or maybe along the stem in long thin rows. They eggs are very tiny, so you'll need to look closely. You can use Neem oil or if you prefer an insecticide, you can use Merit (imicloprid). Spray again in a couple weeks, because surely some have made their way into the soil already.
Chris

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