I usually spray my lilies from spring onwards with a mixture of vinegar and teatree oil which usually keeps them free from the lily beetle grubs. This year for some reason I did not get round to it and consequently have the full gunge plus quite a substantial amount of beetles. I should add that they seem to have a preference for the orange lilies rather than the white and yellow.
I too am suffering from the red beetles on my orange lilies for the second year! I thought of companion planting! I bought two six plant flats of African Marigolds. I placed them next to my lilies with the promise to pop them in the ground today! Yesterday I killed ten beetles and today I found none! I also plan to spray them with diluted vinegar but, I've not seen any of the manure decorated grubs either!
Tried to knock the adults off and into a jamjar with only moderate success I'm now using an electric fly swatter (like a small tennis racket). Outside I can't see the sparks that you get when they're electrocuted indoors but it seems to at least stun them and of course prevents them falling to the safety of the ground. My Maplins swatter is smaller than some other brands which is a disadvantage when swatting flying insects but is just perfect for holding under leaves.
Will try the sunflower oil on my lillies. I'm also planning on replanting in new compost just to make sure there are no beetles or grubs in the soil. Good luck to everyone trying to get rid of the dredded lily beetle.
Have just discovered lily beetle on my tree lilies for the first time. Didnt pick them off just used a thin stick with tree grease on the tip which they stuck to and then was able to destroy the adults easily. No sign of grubs yet but will spray plants with diluted vinegar cos i too love bees!
One of the most useful things for catching and killing lily beetles is an old tea strainer - preferably not the one you use for your earl grey! Keep it in your pocket and catch the beetles in it before they hit the ground and are never seen again. Carry them to hard standing and JUMP on them as hard as you can!! This needs doing daily, or even twice a day in season, and really does help, besides being very satisfactory when you kill them. I grow literally hundreds of lilies, both in pots and in the ground and only vigilance works. If you want to use chemicals, provado works for a season, but the larvae will come back the next year - I'm afraid we are stuck with them until the birds or something like that recognises them as prey- unlikely with that red coloration.
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I usually spray my lilies from spring onwards with a mixture of vinegar and teatree oil which usually keeps them free from the lily beetle grubs. This year for some reason I did not get round to it and consequently have the full gunge plus quite a substantial amount of beetles. I should add that they seem to have a preference for the orange lilies rather than the white and yellow.
Have learned my lesson now.
Therise
Have just discovered lily beetle on my tree lilies for the first time. Didnt pick them off just used a thin stick with tree grease on the tip which they stuck to and then was able to destroy the adults easily. No sign of grubs yet but will spray plants with diluted vinegar cos i too love bees!
One year I found a clump of Montbretia covered with lily beetles. I had never seen them before; now I know to search them out on my lilies .
Found my first one a couple of days ago