I know I could try the bug forum but I wanted to ask here first. On my garden walk yesterday, I found this. This is a Madonna lily that finished blooming about a month ago. I cut the seed pods off it when it finished blooming.
There's a bug living in my lily
valrita
Jul 19, 2008
valrita
Jul 19, 2008
As I stood there looking in horror, I saw a bug wiggling it's but out the hole.
valrita
Jul 19, 2008
Maybe it's some kind of wasp? What can I do? Do I need to kill the plant? I don't want the bug to make a home in any of my other lilies.
valrita
Jul 19, 2008
One more shot for ID purposes. I felt absolutely sick watching this. I had waited three years to see this lily bloom---this year was the first. It was pretty but not worth risking my other lilies for. If I just cut the lily down, won't the bug just go to another lily? If he kills my other lilies, I'll cry. I really will.
Looks like the same thing as here.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/871306/
That is very curious. I'm anxious to hear your answer.
Well it is NOT a corn borer, I agree, some kind of wasp or mason bee.
I can't think that either of these would harm your lily, at least below the hole. They are probably excavating to lay eggs, but both of these types of insects place food in the cavity for the young and they don't eat plant material as far as I understand.
You might want to take these photos to an extension office or entomology dept at a local colllege for identification.
edit: our bug forum would be the first step though and maybe they can id it for you in a jiffy!
This message was edited Jul 19, 2008 6:01 AM
Ramona,
Why not put your picture on lily-talk and ask over there. I've never seen anything like this.
Inanda - finally back in touch with a computer.
I have a few lily stems like that every year, since they do not cause any problems, even in our tornado zone with overhead water (trees break up and blow over all the time) I am not concerned, a few stems out of thousands of stems is nothing to be concerned about. It does look like a bee or wasp, since honeybees are in so much trouble these days we try not to disturb our wild bees, I certainly do not have time to pollinate everything! It does appear just to be making a nursery for it's young, which will feed on insects or other food deposited there by its parent. In some areas leaf-cutters can be a problem, like in the desert where they cannot find food and defoliate landscape plants.
valrita
Jan 20, 2009
I ended up cutting the stalk down when I had to move the lilies. I don't mind the bees using the lily stem as long as they don't hurt the bulb from getting/storing energy for next year's bloom. It was interesting to watch the insect.
Hey Buggy, good to see you on the forum! :)
Diann