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Lily beetles

valerierobertsvalerieroberts Posts: 726
in Problem solving
In my garden an area 5 ft square, that leaves that have been lain since autumn were removed today. I was amazed to see 5 lily beetles among the leaves. I know that climate change is happening, but surprised that the beetles are surviving so well. Do birds eat them or prefer everything else instead. Valerie 
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  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Snip them in half with small pointy scissors. Nail scissors or needlework scissors are perfect.
    This stops them doing the drop off and hide upside down thing
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Big Blue SkyBig Blue Sky Posts: 716
    Birds don’t seem to eat them in my garden. So the only way to control them for me is vigilantly pick every one up and stomp on them. Luckily they are very easy to spot (following the fresh holes on the lily leaves or just looking for them). Has been working for me so far, just need to start early in the summer and check often.
    Surrey
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They don't have predators so you need to hunt and destroy yourself.
    You'll see the grubs later on, buried deep in the foliage - it looks like black gunk, which is the grub surrounded by it's own faeces. Remove that too, and it helps prevent them getting to adulthood.
    We never got them here in any numbers in the past- I presume they didn't survive winters easily, but I've had them in the past four or five years [milder winters]  in this relatively new garden.

    You have to be vigilant. I had none last year after constantly checking, and keeping on top of them the previous year. It was also a more normal winter. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I regularly check under the leaves for eggs,  squashed at source 🙂
    does anyone else think that the grubs absolutely stink? 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I have a hopeless sense of smell @Lyn so I haven't really noticed, but I wouldn't be surprised when you consider what they're covered in  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    They are,  they stink,  I can smell one the minute I walk into the garden, Roland likes it, says it reminds him of cow cake😀
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I wouldn't mind that either - I'm used to 'animal feed' smells. Loved the smell of pony nuts which I expect would be fairly similar to the cow ones  ;)

    If your sense of smell is so acute - perhaps you could get a new job - detecting drug couriers at airports  :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Had a panic last night when I found a red beetle in the living room but it turned out to be a soldier beetle and they eat aphids whilst their larvae eat other pests so it can stay.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • valerierobertsvalerieroberts Posts: 726
    Many thanks to you all. I’m now going round the garden to hunt through all the debris
    i have left about, be untidy was advised to help wildlife. Valerie 
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Well, they are wildlife😉
    In London. Keen but lazy.
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