It was about mid-summer '08, I realized my 4 ft. yellow asiatics & 7 ft. mauve lilies had a yukky
condition of leaves sorta' black slime covered, sickly w/fewer blooms & not nearly as tall as these
well established groupings have been for yrs. lst catching sight of red beetles was a shrug w/o
realizing they WERE NOT the many lady bugs I also have. They are oval, no spots, almost an
orangy-red & like a lady bug that's been slightly 'stretched' so it doesn't have the significant 'hump'
of the lady bug. Then I went on a "squish hunt" all over the garden, but it was only on the NON daylilies.
Even my large clump of Black Beauties were slightly abused in the garden away from the house.
However, nothing on my Casa Blancas or waxey Tebbiana's right next to the house & returning
well so far.
Destorting the garden front of the house on the other side of a rail fence, removing the slime, than
the leaves, I finally cut all those offended lilies down. Come fall, after reading a Sun. Paper column
from noted master gardener, Henry Homeyer from NH, that he had dug & disposed of all his
A & O lillies, because of no known chemical (I won't use) or organic cure '08 fall date to ward off
the sig. damage of these beetles. I did the same (which broke my heart)
Did not put any part of disposed lilies in compost pile but went to the landfill.
Wondering if others from NE or all over the country have been invaded by the tiny RED Beetle.
(Already this spring red beetles on my old orange ditch lilies, of all things that can't be killed,
but have many more elaborate daylilies I adore. Is that the next problem? ? ?)
Have any other N.E. gardeners been devasated on A&O lilies and how are you defeating it?
CorinneKL@aol.com
Montpelier and Woodbury VT
Small RED Beetles devastating A & O lilies
Yes the red lily beetle is everywhere and lays eggs in the ground for the winter, there are some DGers who treat with Neem oil or Sevin. I have a few beetles and treat with Sevin because Neem is always sold out due to so many gardeners with this pest.
Try the lily forum, you might find others with links to treatments. I wouldnt destroy your beauties.
If you live in the east and grow lilies
You will.
I have them here, I have used Bayer Advanced in the past. It works well if used regularly, it is systemic so they must eat the leaves or be touched with the product to die. Last year I tried Neem due to it being organic and it did work, but it probably would have worked better if I had been more efficient in it's use. My neighbor doesn't treat hers so I have the problem with them migrating over from her yard after I get rid of each batch. They make it difficult to have bulbous lilies in this area, that is for sure. I have found that they seem to leave one of my Asiatics called Blackbird alone, which I have found very interesting.
I have them too, about 3-4 years now I think. Last year I had very little damage due to me starting early....like NOW. I too used the Bayer products, the first year I used Sevin and Neem but I felt like I was still losing. Last year I started as soon as I saw my lilies trying to poke thru the dirt. I sprayed the DIRT and plant every 2-3 weeks. Unfortunately it is not legal in some States.
Thanks friends for your replies - had no clue that this nasty little jewel beetle was so widespread in N.E. I've thought of taking the few A & O's I have left, deemed as favorites, to be dug up soon, well rinsed of all soil and taken to our camp 20 miles aways where I have much larger perennial gardens, and more etc. than you need to know up hill and down w/kitchen floor and large parking lot as only flat surfaces on the property. (Gotta' be a human goat to garden there.) However, I fear the comments made by one response about the beetle babies or spore or whatever in the soil, that I can inadvertenly bring to camp. And those beetles show up so rapidly a year or so before central VT last yr., I suspect my A & Os will be sabatoged there also. Insofar as using a spray to combat same on seemingly a suggested very often basis (will only use organic) and wondering what other plants they will start on next like so many Oakes Daylilies of huge clumps, has me terrified. Along with Henry Homeyer, Master Gardener from NH, I'm getting rid of all my A & O's, as I don't need the work to overcome this very serious problem, and on a wing and a prayer that these beetles don't like the rest of my gardens.
They seem to just like Bulbuous lilies, is what I hear.
Your wise to pitch them rather that fix the problem.
It's really sad to see a plant that has so much care and gives so much enjoyment. I hear your pain.
You don't have to worry about your daylilies, thank goodness. Here is a link with general info about them if anyone hasn't read up on them. http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/lilyleafbeetle.html
Thanks for the post.
I'll not give up growing lilies........ NEVER!!! I just say an extra nightly prayer that they come up with a way to rid the Earth of the Red Lily Beetle.
Keep an eye on the lily plant which seems resistant. If they stay away, lily breeders might wish to breed with it. We don't plant fritilarries since we heard that the beetle lays eggs on it as well. I think the rest of our lilies may go this yr, we have been handpicking, but the beetles move very quickly.
I hate using chemicals but a I hate the thought of never haveing lilies again even more....so chemicals it is!!
There are some hard choices in gardening.
Hi pals- I haven't posted in a coon's age- have just been too busy for computer time- but have missed the ne forum! here are my 2 cents....Rotenone dust really works. somehow the dust gets on the beetles and they must communicate it to others or something-because the whole population seems to sort of collapse. It is so much more effective than neem or rotenone spray. You kind of dust at the top of the lily plant and the dust sifts down the whole stem. It doesn't take long to hit all the plants walking around with a little shaker container (I have pretty many lilies, plus work in lots of people's gardens)- For a while, the lilies look a little dusty- but I get it on way before the flowers open, and the rain washes it off in a while. small dustings are needed from time to time later, but nowhere near the vigilance is needed compared to the sprays- plus i feel ok about using rotenone rather than a strong chemical pesticide. since it goes on before flowers are out it doesn't get the bees either... seems to work.
I hope to catch up with you all more this season! sarah
I've been checking but haven't seen any beetles yet. I mostly hunt and squish, but I'll try the rotenone dust this year since it's ok around bees (I have a hive in my garden this year)
t- you know- i think a good dose of rotenone COULD hurt a bee, but I am careful to dust before the flowers open, so there is no reason for a bee to come in contact with it. the important time to get rid of lily beetles is when you first see them, which is way before bloom time. I haven't noticed any reduction in bees (we don't have hives, but neighbors do) By the time the lilies bloom, the rotenone is gone... but I am pretty sure it wouldn't be good for a bee to get full dose.
I hunt and squish. If I have some fruit tree spray left over it goes on my Asiatics.
I've seen them already.
You MUST eliminate the pretty red eggs as well.
Eggs with an adult insert.
Andy P
Lucky enough not to have them yet. Sure it's a matter of time.
I was thinking the same thing Victor
I am infested as of today :( Got some Bayer advanced but I have to wait to apply it until the bees aren't active.
Should I give them directions to your place when they show?
Oh - that's awful, Meredith.
Sure.. why not - I am going to go over and treat my neighbors while I'm at it too. ;)
Actually, I meant Allison's place!
Ha ha that's okay I thought you were joking anyway!
HEY YOU
;)
What an awful waste because of this 'beetle' from hell!
This attacked lillies I got from my mother's garden. I the lilies are still alive this year I plan to use a season long systemic poison. Hopefully this will work.
Good luck all, will keep an eye open for new ways to get rid of this beetle!!
This is the stuff you need Geraldine http://www.bayeradvanced.com/product/All-In-One-Rose-Flower-Care/concentrate.html
Yes, thats what I use too Meredith!
Actually anything that has 'Imidadoprid' in it will do.
Yup it's that ingredient, I just haven't found any other one around with it. The Bayer Advanced is cheapat Walmart. I picked some up at a place closer to my house and I think they are charging double what Walmart charges.
I found it cheapest at W-Mart also and Home Depot is not bad either.
I was at HD two days ago and I'll be darned -I couldn't find it.I don't think they are fully stocked yet.
Don't use this stuff if you have honeybees nearby! It can kill them!
So sorry to hear that the invasion has started again this year :( Here is a handy reference card I like that my lily supplier is sending with her orders. I'll be checking every day all summer again this year. http://plantlilies.com/growlilies/101-beetlecard.html
Thanks for that link. : )
I made sure to do it early in the morning before the bees were active. If you are more of a evening person do it after they are active. Once it dries the bees are safe because they won't be nibbling on the plant like the beetles and the larvae. I also look around the area first to make sure no good bugs including bees have decided to rest in the area. If they are there they are easily moved by getting them on your finger and relocating them. I had to do that this morning actually. It was a bumble bee though. If you are allergic this would probably not be a good idea, although I have never been stung by a bee doing this - but you could try a stick.
Now I am already freaking out about my lilies that are just coming up. I was in Walmart tonight looking for preventative medicine (no luck) I will hit the local garden center tomorrow. Haven't seen them in my are yet but better safe than sorry.
I believe that you cannot buy or use that Bayer product in New York. I know Pirl said on L.I. she couldn't.
What about Bayer aspirin?
Not sure Victor...go to the store and try. lol