How to Control Red Lily Leaf Beetles
The red lily leaf beetle (Lilioceris lilii) is a destructive pest that feeds almost exclusively on true lilies (Lilium spp.), including Asiatic and Oriental lilies as well as Orienpets and species lilies. Most fritillarias are also susceptible to lily leaf beetles.
First discovered in eastern Canada about 50 years ago, this non-native species has gradually infiltrated most of New England and central and western Canada. In 2012 it began appearing in Washington and Oregon as well. If this pest is active in your region, your lilies are at risk. Here are some ways to protect them.
How to Identify the Lily Leaf Beetle and Its Damage
The lily leaf beetle is about ¼” long and bright, scarlet red. Though easy to see, they are fast and difficult to catch. If they sense you approaching, they immediately drop to the ground on their backs and quickly vanish into the soil.
There is one generation of these beetles per year. Adults overwinter in the soil and emerge in April and May to begin feeding and laying eggs. Each female can lay up to 450 eggs over a period of 3 to 4 weeks. The tiny, orange-brown eggs are laid in rows on the underside of lily leaves and the larvae begin hatching one to two weeks later.
Lily leaf beetle larvae are soft and slug-like. They’re not pretty, but it gets worse. To protect themselves, they carry their excrement on their backs (shown below). It’s an ingenious and super disgusting, yet effective way to hide.
The larvae are voracious eaters and can feed for 3 to 4 weeks before moving down into the soil to pupate. About a month later they emerge as adult beetles and continue feeding before they return to the soil for the winter.
How to Protect Your Lilies from Lily Leaf Beetles
Most plants can generate new growth if their foliage gets eaten, but that’s not the case with lilies. If lily leaf beetles eat the leaves, that’s it for the season and the plants may not have enough energy to flower the following year — or even return at all. This makes it very important to protect your lilies from damage.
Handpicking
Start scouting for lily beetles in late spring, shortly after your lilies emerge from the ground. If you see a flash of red, that’s what you’re after. You’ll need to sneak up and be prepared to grab very quickly. Drop the beetles into hot soapy water or use force to crush their shells. Inspect stems and leaves from all angles as the beetles hide in leaf crotches.
Destroying this pest’s eggs and larvae is equally important. Check your plants carefully at least 2-3 times a week, taking time to bend down and look under every leaf. Scrape off the larvae and remove the eggs — wearing tight-fitting rubber gloves makes this job a little less unpleasant.
Spraying
There are two organic sprays that are relatively effective against the red lily leaf beetle. For both, spray coverage must be heavy and complete. Neem, an extract of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), will kill young larvae. It should be applied every 5-7 days throughout early summer.
Spinosad, an insecticide made from soil bacteria, is also effective if applied weekly. As with all insecticides, it’s important to spray in the evening when bees are not foraging. Avoid spraying in windy weather when the spray may drift onto nearby flowers.
In Europe, parasitic wasps keep lily leaf beetle populations in check. Scientists at the University of Rhode Island have released several species of these predators in RI, MA, NH and ME. Over time, lily leaf beetle populations have declined in most of the test areas and the wasps are gradually spreading into neighboring towns. Hopefully this ecological approach will put a dent in the problem.
Plant Pest Resistant Types of Lilies
Some lilies seem to be more resistant to the lily leaf beetle than others. Research at the University of Maine found Lilium henryii ‘Madame Butterfly’, Lilium speciosum ‘Uchida’ and Lilium ‘Black Beauty’ showed better than average resistance.
Don’t Give Up the Battle – Lilies are Worth the Investment
If you live in an area where the lily leaf beetle is a problem, don’t despair. A combination of hand-picking and spraying the foliage weekly for at least the first half of the summer can keep this pest under control. The reward is months of beauty and fragrance that no other flowers can match.
We offer many different types of lilies, including Asiatic lilies, Oriental lilies, Double Oriental lilies, Oriental trumpet lilies and species lilies.
To learn more about growing lilies, you may be interested in reading: All About Lilies, Bloom Times for Lilies, 8 Tips for Growing Better Lilies and How to Plant Lilies.
Hello. I uprooted all lilies in 2 flower beds before last winter and also scooped up a couple of inches of soil and discarded this as well since I was hoping to start over in the two flower beds after noticing total devastation of my backyard lilies last summer. I have seen a couple of the red lily beetles in each bed now and destroyed what I found in warm soapy water, including dropping soil in there from the immediate area. In one bed, there are only tulips coming up, or so I believe and in the other, just ground cover. I don’t see any evidence of chomping in either case. My question is this… If I plant a couple of rose bushes in the one bed, and dahlia bulbs in the other (which I’ve had success with over the years) will the lily beetles feast on either? Or will they simply die or go elsewhere? I have beautiful lilies at the front of the house as well and don’t want the beetles transferred there. I also have Lily of the Valley on the side of the house. I work full time and can’t go into the garden several times a week on a bug seek and destroy mission. Do you have any suggestions for me?
Hi Judith, Sorry to hear you are having lily beetle trouble. They are nasty pests! You don’t need to worry about your other perennials and roses. Lily leaf beetles are selective and they only eat plants that are in the Lilium family.
To protect the lilies at the front of your house, you should watch carefully for the beetles and destroy them as soon as you find them — before they can reproduce. As long as you grow lilies, your plants will be susceptible to beetle damage. Even if you eradicate them from your garden, they can eventually come in from someone else’s garden. In my experience, staying on top of them in May and early June means very few problems later on. Good luck!
Lily buds destroyed overnight. Next morning, saw black round beetle on the stem that was left. Is this still a leaf beetle? I did not see red beetles, just this black round one. Was that the beetle carrying his poop on his back, or are there other varieties of beetles that attack and chomp down on lilies? Lilies already in beautiful big blooms not affected. Thank you!
It’s the nymphs that carry their excrement on their backs. They are the juvenile stage of the beetles and are soft-bodied and pale orange in color. They look nothing like a beetle. In my experience, lily leaf beetles usually prefer the foliage over the buds. I don’t know about other types of beetles that eat lilies. Glad you still have some nice ones left!
I mixed a strong solution of Neem oil and started spraying when lilies appeared…no problem so far…my roses and dahlias do not seem to be invaded by these pests…I am hoping that the wasp will soon reach my area as I love my 7-8 lily beds.
PS spraying heavily once a week did it for me as I, too, have a job.
Hi Steph – Red lily leaf beetles have a very specific host plant. They only attack lilies and fritillarias, so you don’t need to worry about them eating your roses or dahlias!
I agree that keeping on top of them — especially early in the season seems to really help. Good luck!
what did you spray them with ?
Hi Joyce – Steph used Neem oil. Spinosad is another alternative.
Can I use borax or Epsom salt around my lillies to kill the Red Lilly Beetles off. Also would Malathan hurt the plant. I can get it in the US. Thanks
Hi Janet. I don’t think borax or Espsom salt will have any effect on the beetles. We recommend using organic pest controls and even then, taking great care to protect bees and other pollinators. I don’t know anything about Malathion other than it’s not considered organic. So you’ll need to refer to the label.
2017- my first Spring in new home. Was shocked to see what seemed like an infestation of lily beetles being born. They hung out on my hose, around the walkway, along edge of lawn. Thousands.
I don’t normally grow true lilies but there was one the previous owner planted. I plan to dig it out after it blooms … which they are not eating, but are in the mulch and surrounding lawn. I squish as I can and I’ve sprayed neem oil and Dead Bug (contains Spinosad). Neither seem to affect adults. Is that correct?
What can I do this fall to discourage overwintering here again? The one lily plant will have been removed. What draws them to locations for winter dormancy?
Should I discard all current mulch and replace with fresh mulch in spring? Leave it bare for the winter?
Hi Meredith, I wonder if your pests are actually lily leaf beetles. To my knowledge, they do not occur in such large numbers. Their only host is the lily plant, so big hatches like that are unlikely. If they are lily leaf beetles, they would be eating that lily’s foliage, laying eggs, and then you would see the nymph phase, which is unmistakable. Maybe you could bring one of the beetles into a local garden center and see if they can make a positive ID. Good luck!
I hate to get rid of my lily plant as the color and flowers were brilliant . Only noticed today that the plant has been eaten . I seen the beetles yesterday and assumed it was lady bugs . Overnight these beetles have destroyed the plant . Where will they go once they’ve finished their meal ? Should I get rid of the plant and dig up the area and get rid of that ? I ordered the spray but think it might be too late .
Hi Dolly, Lily leaf beetles and their larvae can cause a lot of damage very quickly. If your lily was defoliated, it will not come back, so you can go ahead and dig it out. The beetles overwinter in the soil. Like other insects, they can also move around from one garden to another, so it’s impossible to entirely eliminate them. If you want to grow lilies, the best solution is to be vigilant about watching the plants and killing every lily leaf beetle that you see — including the larvae. You can do this by hand or with one of the recommended organic sprays.
In real early spring time and late fall, I usually apply milk spore and finely crushed egg shells, every other year. To me it certainly seemed to help getting rid of red lily pests. I also go around squishing and trapping the little buggers in soapy water.
I now know I can also use neem.
Kath, hello. I only today discovered how destructive these beetles can be. I thought I just had to contend with the grown ups, and had only seen and caught a few of those. Today I discovered the larva, though, at the time, I didn’t know quite what it was, but saw that suddenly whole leaves were gone! I started wiping off the blobs, thinking they were formed of the larva, not yet understanding that they were individual larvae, covered in poo. Charming. Anyway, afraid that I was just sort of spreading them around, I got the hose and sprayed them down. They were clean when I left.
My question is, have you found any success with simply hosing down the plants as I did today? I have several other pest/fungal problems that have already sent me scrambling this season, so I’m hoping I don’t have to buy yet another product. Thanks so much for your help.
Hi Nomi – In a pinch, hosing them down is a good solution — I don’t know how fast or far the larvae will crawl! But spraying the plants with water will not remove the eggs. They are usually laid under the leaves. So you need to continue killing the adults and looking for egg masses. I’ve found that if I really stay on top of things for a full season and not let them get a foothold, the next year isn’t as bad.
I started spraying neem oil diluted per package instruction as soon as the cover leaves were removed this spring. I also have been spreading coffee grounds on the plants, and then shaking the plant leaves the next day to allow the coffee grounds to fall to the ground. I have had good results doing this, and picking bugs, and larvae daily has helped also. These are not permanent solutions, but are a reasonable tactic. Checking and removal by hand daily is still the best. Persistence will pay off. Last year I also cut down the plants as soon as blooming was done, and quickly discarded the waste, then sprayed the ground with neem. Good luck.
Hi Ed – Thanks for the tips. Agree that being vigilant early in the season and really staying on top of the problem is the best solution. A caution about cutting down the plants when they finish flowering. Like all bulbs, lilies use their foliage to produce the food/energy they need to form next year’s flowers. Since all their foliage is on the stem, cutting off the stems is bound to diminish the plant’s vigor.
I wonder why someone has not come up with something to kill the larvae in the soil so they won’t come up next year. these beatles have destroyed all my lilies in one year. I bought neem and plan to start next year in early april.
Hi Patsy — It’s actually the beetles that overwinter in the soil. They emerge in spring, lay their eggs on the leaves and then the larvae hatch. A soil drench that would kill the beetles in the soil would be great! If the beetles ate most of the lily foliage, your plants will not be as vigorous next year. So you may want to plant some additional bulbs next spring.
Would diatomaceous earth be effective if it was worked into the soil ? I am very worried about the honey bees with anything sprayed in the plant itself, even in the evening. If spraying, with the two products you suggested; Neem and/or Spinosad, kills the insect, would not the residue remaining the next morning be harmful to the honey bees?
Hi Robin – You could certainly try using diatomaceous earth to kill the beetles. There’s always some danger with sprays, even when they are organic. To protect bees, spray just before dark and avoid spraying the flowers.
Isn’t there a granule you could incorporate into the soil that would kill the pest when it goes to ground for the winter ?
If you can invent one that works you will make many friends and lots of money!
I’ve had lily plants for 10 years. This is the first year I had the beetles and they ruined my plants. It’s bizarre that I never had problems or even heard of these pests before this year. Is there something I can put in the dirt so the won’t come back next year. I’m hoping that living in Northern NY, the cold winter temps would kill them.
Hi – sorry to have bad news, but cold temperatures will not kill red lily leaf beetles. I am in growing zone 4 and have been fighting them for 5+ years. The key is to be vigilant and stay on top of the problem. Every beetle that survives will produce offspring that will give you more problems the following year.
I have had very good luck using the organic pesticide spinosad, which is available under the trade name Captain Jack’s Deadbug Spray. Begin spraying as soon as you see the first beetle and take time to coat ALL the foliage including the undersides. Spray right before dark so you avoid bees — and be careful not to get any spray on neighboring plants (or flowers!). You will need to start spraying in the spring just as the lily foliage is first emerging — that’s when the overwintered beetles also emerge from the soil. Spray once a week until mid-June. Then monitor the situation closely for the rest of the season and spray again (or handpick beetles/larvae) if there’s another batch of them. After doing this for 3 years I am on top of the problem and my lilies are looking great. Good luck!
I have just found your page thank goodness. I bought bulbs two year ago never had much on them last year as the wind knocked them for six. Anyway no-one around my ares has lillies growing so how do they arrive on the plants. This year has been hot and I saw loads of black sticky things on the top of the leaves. They were so yucky to try to pick them off.
Some of the lillies bloomed so gorgeous but only lasted about a week lovely big all pink they were, but half of those I had planted were eaten nothing but bare sticks.
I have read your remarks what to do but I have already had a go at pulling them out of the ground. My rambling rose behind them also had trouble growing. I have cut it right down. Will I have to do anything to the soil really is my question?. How have these beetles come in my garden did they come inside the bulbs that I bought?
I am in the North East of the UK. Thanks.
Hi Judith – I am sorry to tell you that the red lily leaf beetle is now widespread in the UK as well. They don’t arrive with the bulbs. They are simply present in the environment and since lilies are what they eat, they have simply found their way to the plants in your garden.
So the recommendations in the article apply to you as well. You can also find information about them on the RHS website. Here is the link: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=553. I believe lilies are worth fighting for. You do need to be vigilant about controlling the beetles. Good luck!
I found them these on my lilies for the first time this year..I picked off the adults and larva. Then dusted the
Leaves with diamotomous earth and around on the soil and ground. Careful not to let it get too air born..do it on a calm day.
I removed the damaged leaves being careful not to put in the comost. Luckily I still had beautiful lilies this year!
I’ll continue this treatment to see if the diatom. Earth works for next year..maybe it will kill the eggs in the soil? Worth a try! Safer then most treatments
Hi – thanks for the tip. I have not heard of using diatomaceous earth for lily leaf beetles, but it makes sense. I have found that staying on top of the problem — starting very early in the season — is key. Kill every beetle, squish all the eggs and remove all the larvae. This year my garden was beetle-free after July 1st and the lilies were beautiful.
I used a plastic squirt bottle containing 2 tsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp liquid SOAP, and 500 ml of water. I sat in a garden chair, and wherever I saw a beetle, shot it with the spray, which had a range of about 6′. I had the satisfaction of seeing it die. This avoids them sensing any motion and hiding. After a few days of this, none, or very few were visible. I wondered if I could drench the soil with the same mixture, to control next year’s brood, but, as you point out, the lilies would be subject to next year’s flying invasion. Would soapy water kill the earthworms or beneficial insects??
Hi Don – that’s a funny vision. Must have been very satisfying! I’m sorry, but I don’t know if using that mixture as a soil drench could have a negative effect on beneficials or on the lilies. Next life I intend to be an agronomist and then I’ll know the answer. 🙂
Great thread, thanks. Would it help to wipe leaves with alcohol, while inspecting in May and June, in order to catch any invisible eggs?
Hi Jane – I have never used alcohol on leaves, have you? I don’t think it’s necessary for these guys as the eggs are easy to see and squish/remove. An unpleasant task, but worth it!
I have had great success using a soil drench of Imidacloprid which I use for viburnum beetles every year in late March or April in New York. However, you must really dilute it with water… using much less per gallon than you would for trees. The same company makes a granular form but I cannot vouch for that though I do occasionally throw it around the stems mid summer.
I still have to pick off a few beetles and but very little larvae and I probably have 100 lily plants. Mid or late summer I will spray the underside of leaves if I feel threatened.
To capture the beetles I fill water bottles halfway with water and some dawn and leave them around the beds so I can grab them quickly when needed. The beetles don’t seem to notice the tops of the bottles as quickly as they do the humans hand. Good luck.
I too have used a product containing imidacloprid, but it has been linked to bee collapse…it is fatal to bees that gather the pollen from treated lilies. It was a wonderful and easy way to keep lilies free of the beetles but I will not be using it anymore.. I am going to try the neem oil and Captain Jacks…..
Oh my goodness. I am not a gardner, my plants tend to die. I brought some lilys in pots and have been avidly watering early morning. This moring i found two red beetles on my lily leaves in one pot . Never seen these before. I stupidly picked them out and threw them in the weeds i have not cleard yet. I read this blog and went searching for them. I cannot see then. Are these bugs in the soil as well as on the plant?. If i use soapy water over the weeds will this kill them ?. Another question, i had a sore tingling feeling in my fingers after picking out these bugs, do the emit some kind of poison?. 30 mins later and the sensation although has reduced is still there.
Sorry lots of questions and long text.
Thank you for your support
Sharon
Hi Sharon – Red lily leaf beetles emerge from the soil in early spring. They may have come from the soil in the pots, but they could have already been in the area and just found your new plants. They are attracted to lilies. Soapy water will not kill the beetles. To protect your plants you’ll need to kill the beetles and the grubs — follow the instructions in the article. I have squished hundreds of these beetles and their grubs and never experienced any physical sensation other than disgust.
Same problem here just wondering if I did up all my pota clean the bulbs and replant in fresh soil will the bucks grow again next year bug free ??
Hi – If red lily beetles are a problem in your area, there’s really no way to keep them from finding your lilies. The beetles can fly, so even if you start the season with no bugs, they can come from elsewhere. The best way to protect your plants is to watch them carefully and crush every beetle you find. If any of them manage to lay eggs (usually on the underside of the leaves), make sure to smoosh those, too.
I can’t really spray the undersides of the foliage, wouldn’t that be important in your spraying? (I heeled them into a trash can of soil where I WAS growing potatoes last year, and the first ten inches or so of the plants are below the rim of the container. Likewise, I had limited success catching and dropping them into soapy water because they dropped and dug in so fast. I am THINKING about trying placing something over the soil around the plants, so when they drop I have a fighting chance of catching more of the beetles. We used to lay foil, shiny side up, around squash vines in Maryland–it repelled the beetles that chewed through the stems and killed the plants each year. THEY were frustrating too.
Hi Gail – Yes, these beetles are very challenging to control. They can tell when you are just about to grab them and it’s so frustrating when they fall to the ground and disappear! Checking/spraying the undersides of the foliage is important — it’s where they usually lay their eggs. I find that if you really keep after them every day or two, starting EARLY when the daffodils are blooming, you can keep them under control.
I found this recipe on pinterest. It kills the red beetles. I too get satisfaction from this!! Fill a spray bottle with water, add 2 tsp of Dawn dishwashing detergent, 1 tsp. Olive or vegetable oil. I would spray the bugs every night. They disappeared after a week or so. I didn’t do anything until late in the year last year. I thin at one point I actually sprayed my one remaining lily, then rubbed the leaves and stalks. This year I’m trying pedestrian, which was recommend by our local Extension office. I hate to use pesticide though.
Hi Sandy- thanks for the tip. Yes, bees and butterflies love lilies, so we recommend not using pesticides. Even those that are considered organic should be used very carefully — spray only at dusk after bees have finished foraging for the day.
With all the great advice on here, I thought about Gail Dalmat’s comment with putting foil shiny side up. I’m going to try to put some foil on top of the soil and spray it with the water, blue Dawn dish liquid, and olive oil. When the beetles drop hopefully they will drop on top of the foil making hard for them to dive into the soil and easy for me to snatch the beetles up!
Hi Sharon – sounds like a plan! Good luck!
Start in April as soon as lillies start to pop up, killing beetles daily, as you see them, then I spray with two tablespoons concentrated neem oil and tsp. of dawn so it mixes, in 32 oz bottle, I just bought a bigger pump sprayer, because I have a lot of lilies, spray every few days, its a lot of work, but if you do it often, it will pay off, I still had one or two plants that the leaves had holes, but this system works I went out almost every day or so, and the more you spray you wont get the larvae, within 2-3 weeks they were almost all gone, have had a lot of rain also, so on the dry days I am back at it, never remember these beetles, or having such problems with them, its always something you have to worry about, roses get aphids so you need to watch for that too, omg!!
Hi Barbara – excellent strategy. Spraying twice a week is key (it is rainy where I live, too). Start early and continue for 4-6 weeks until there’s no sign of them. Worth it!!
I just found these nasty little buggers and my garden. I already have Lily damage but hopefully I’m catching it early enough that I’ll be able to kill these things. Here’s my question I have not seen any black beetle things or slug-like things I find black dots on the bottoms of the leaves are those the eggs? I kind of washed all my lilies with soapy water in hopes of getting most of the eggs off cuz they were just covered. Do you know if that’ll do any good?
Hi Ilea – Yes! Keep after those eggs and destroy any you see. If the eggs don’t get a chance to hatch, you will not see any larvae and that would be a good thing. If you do see larvae (they are tan-orange in color unless they are already carring fecal matter on their backs). Check your plants every day and get rid of all eggs and all larvae. Fortunately the red beetles are easy to see. Just hard to catch. But catch and squish you must. Good luck!
I have seen them eat my Iris’s as well as my phlox. They are everywhere and just when I think I got rid of them more are back
Hi Debra – I have not heard of the red lily beetle eating anything that’s not in the lily family. I can tell you that after 5 years of being vigilant about killing every beetle and every larvae and all the eggs, I now have very few beetles. In fact so far this year (end of May) I have yet to see ANY. I’m sure they will reappear, but staying on top of them has really worked for me.
Hi, I have been struggling with this red beetle too and have been working on getting rid of them one by one. Something that seems surprising to me on the comments here is that people have been having trouble catching them. I don’t like touching them (even with gloves), so I take a plastic spoon in one hand and flick them off of the leaf into an empty margarine type of container that I hold below with the other hand (which is filled with water and dish soap). I haven’t had very many fall into the soil this way and they have very rarely ever noticed me coming. Hope that tip helps some of you to avoid them falling in the soil!
Going to try neem and coffee grounds next as well. Good luck everyone!
Hi Katherine – this sounds like a good trick. Thanks for adding it.
I use a heavy dose of Dawn dish soap mixed with neem oil and water In my sprayer. The adults die a horrible shuddering death within 2 minutes of being thoroughly covered in the spray. The larva are a bit tougher but will fall off the plant and die curled up on the ground too. Just make sure you use more neem and dish soap than you think you ought to when making the mixture. I’d suggest 1/4 cup of neem and 1/4 cup Dawn soap to one gallon of water. This mixture works on gypsy mother caterpillars also just FYI, both in larva and chryslis form. Be careful of using Dawn soap on fruit trees. It strips the leaves of their natural coating and they’ll dry out, but it doesn’t seem to hurt lilies.
Hi Alex – thank you for the tip. Detergent can burn foliage in bright/hot sun — so we recommend testing this solution on a small area before spraying everything.
Hi, We Have these beetles too. We are using Neem oil and picking the black stuff off the leaves. My question is after my lilies have bloomed can I cut the stalk down? I usually cut the stalks in the fall but I don’t want to give the beetles anything else to eat.
Hi Margie – The stem must stay attached to the bulb until it naturally yellows later in the season. If you remove the stem, you will also remove the foliage and dramatically weaken the bulb (in the same way lily beetles weaken the bulbs). So unfortunately, you need to stay on top of these pests even after flowering. The bulb needs its foliage to produce as much food energy as possible. I find the pest pressure is usually less as the summer progresses — but keep checking for beetles. Your objective is to interrupt the next generation knock back the numbers.
It seems I’ve just introduced this pest to my garden via a load of lilies that I bought at one of the big chain home improvement stores. When I first saw the beetle I though, aww, lady bugs. Then I thought, wait, there’s no black spots on these. Google led me here. I tried to pick off the beetles that I could and rubbed out the slop under the leaves but the buggers are now in the ‘poop on their back’ stage and have devoured the leaves on these plants. Unfortunately today I saw that they infested the couple of lilies I had in the front yard and devoured them as well. I plan on pulling the bulbs, snipping the stems and hoping to replant them elsewhere. Such a shame.
Hi John – The lily beetles could have arrived on their own. Once they are in the area, they are a persistent pest and will move from one lily to another. There is no reason to move your lilies — the beetles will find them wherever you replant them. Best to just deal with them where they are currently located. The only effective control is vigilance. Scout daily and kill every beetle and all the larvae. This will disrupt the reproduction cycle. Spraying (consistently) with Spinosad is also effective (as recommended in the article).
Do not cut off the lily stems while they are still green. If you do, you will be weakening and possibly killing the bulb — essentially the same damage as the lily beetles. Lily bulbs need their stems and foliage to produce energy that gets stored in the bulb to fuel next year’s stem and flower production.
hi. I have gagged my way through scraping the fecal carrying buggers for several years and seem to be making at least some headway-at least the lilies are coming back well.
Often I have to pull the whole leaf off if it’s dead and has a number of nymphs/larvae.
My question is, what then? I have a bowl full of soapy water and loads of dying nymphs and leaves.
I’m afraid the leaves will clog the toilet but is that the best route? It is fecal after all…
ugh ugh ugh.
Satisfying, though, to get them and to squish the adults.
How do you dispose of the young?
Hi Trish – I squish those, too! Throw them on the driveway and scrape them with your shoe.
As a follow up to my May post, I had a bad infestation last year. I hate pesticides, but this year I’ve carefully used pyrethrin and I’ve only seen a couple. I started spraying when the plants first popped up, using rubber gloves and just a spray bottle on the ground and the leaves. Most of my plants only have one bud, I’m hoping they’ll come back better next year!!
Hi Sandy – Glad to hear you are winning the battle! I’m not sure you can plan on those single bud lilies bulking up next year. It would be good to hedge your bets and plant some extra bulbs either this fall or next spring.
Ok. 😕. I’ll keep that in mind.
I’m glad to have stumbled onto this post, however I fear that I’m too late… These little red beetles have destroyed my flower bed that was one very pretty! A total of 7 lily plants that I will need to dig out and throw away. I don’t think I would be able to be as vigilant as necessary so I’ll have to plant something else… Back to the drawing board!
Hi Josee – Sorry to hear about your lilies. Unfortunately, you are correct about the diligence required to keep these pests under control. My garden is free of them this year, but it took 5 years to get rid of them and I’m sure they will be back at some point.
Hi: My Stargazer lilys grew to over 6 feet tall. Have many blooms but the have no perfume this year? Is there a reason for this?
Hi Carole – It’s unlikely that the lily you are wondering about is a Stargazer. They typically grow 3-4 feet tall. Did you purchase the bulbs from Longfield Gardens? If you can send a photo, we may be able to identify it. Most Martagon and other species lilies have no scent. Asiatic lilies and most LA hybrids are also fragrance-free. Some Oriental-Trumpet lilies, such as Scheherezade, are only lightly fragrant.
I’m not a gardner, but trying to make my new home look nice … so this may be a silly question, but would calla lilies be equally affected by this beetle? I have bulbs I wanted to plant next year, but now I’m scared to because I just tore out 8 daylily plants in my new home because they were destroyed (thanks to these little buggers!).
Hi Jennifer – Red lily leaf beetles feed almost exclusively on plants in the lilium family. This only includes true lilies such as Asiatic and Oriental lilies, and fritillarias. Daylilies is a common name for hemerocallis. These plants are not related to true lilies, so it’s likely some other pest is bothering them. Calla lilies are also not true lilies. They are members of the Zantedeschia family — so they should be safe from lily leaf beetles.
I planted several containers this year with oriental and Asiatic Lilies. Some red bug is eating all the leaves. I finally looked up what it could be and found your post. Could these red lily leaf beetles have come from the bags of potting soil I used to plant the containers? It is clear that these probably won’t come back next year. Should I dispose of the dirt as well? Thanks for your time.
Hi Linda – It’s unlikely that the lily leaf beetles came from the potting soil. They were probably in the area and once they realized you had some lilies, they moved in and started eating. Unfortunately, they probably WILL be back next year. The only way to deal with them is to kill every beetle you see. This will break the cycle of egg-laying, hungry nymphs, and procreating beetles. Follow the instructions in the article, and start watching for the beetles in May when the lilies first emerge. Hand picking works pretty well. So does spinosad. In both cases it’s about vigilance. Once they discover your garden, it may take a couple years to knock them back. But lilies are worth fighting for!
I too have ‘discovered’ the red asian beetle.! They started last yr. My question is, can I cut the stalks back and Not hurt my lillies.? I’m in upstate NY. Thank you.
Hi Donna – Don’t cut back the stalks until they are totally yellow. The leaves on the stalks are the bulb’s only source of energy. These beetles may not kill lilies outright, but by eating the foliage, they weaken the bulb and that means smaller (or no) flowers next year.
I’m also in upstate NY and have these nasty beetles. Question … is there anything I can put in the soil to kill whichever part of their life cycle is spent there as I seemed to have missed the window for the beetles.
Hi Melissa – sorry, but I don’t know of any soil drenches that would be effective. Also, there are lots of good bugs, microbes and bacteria in the soil and you would not want to kill them.
Just start patrolling early next spring – as soon as the lilies emerge from the soil.
From Alberta Canada – Hi Lillys are my favourite flower but its only the past 3 years Ive been planting & this year they were the best ever-but sadly the beetle came! We usually go away for5 weeks just after flowering. This year everthing flowered later so I didnt get to see all the beautiful flowers. Before leaving I had killed a few red beetles(only 1 plant effected) so sad on return all devestated by beetle, Front & rear garden. Ive read your blogs & just thinking it might be beter to cut my losses & not have any lillies – just dig them up now? Its very sad but its so sadder to see the plants that have improved/ reproduced be eaten like this & as it looks like we would be away & couldnt keep on top of it – not much choice.
Do you think these lilies that are desemated woul flower next year? If so I will fight for them & do what I can against this hateful bug.
Hi Debra – Those beetles are terrible and seeing the damage is heartbreaking. If they are allowed to eat and reproduce unchecked, they can quickly decimate even the most well-established planting. It is possible that some of your lilies will come back next year, but if the damage was severe, the plants will be weak and you’ll have far fewer flowers.
I know some people who have given up on lilies, and if you will not be around to protect them from these pests, that may be your only option. After about 5 years of consistent spraying, this year I saw only a couple beetles. But they are still around. During the past couple weeks I noticed some damage that went undetected. So I will need to get back to weekly spraying next year.
If you want to continue with lilies, I suggest planting some fresh bulbs this fall and/or next spring. That way you can at least enjoy flowers while battling these little beasts.
Imidacloprid plus cyflurthin (Bayer Advanced Complete insect Killer). Two or more sprayings per week starting as soon as the lily plants emerge. Be sure you spray the undersides of the leaves as well as the tops. Spray as soon as more leaves show up to keep up with the fast growth early on. If you get them early and hard, they will not bother you the rest of the season. Keep your sprayer handy, though, for the odd stray beetle throughout the Summer. I start May 1, usually.
I’ve been doing this for years, and I always have a yard full of birds, bees, butterflies, hummers, etc.
My first time with these horrible critters last year. I have a HUGE lily garden and until last year only had to deal with the deer- which I manage with netting these large areas.
I put all my new bulbs last fall and this spring with diatomaceous earth hoping that would do them in. But,nope- saw them this weekend. I don’t like anything non organic- so am picking them by hand an spraying diligently with Neem oil upon new growth emerging. Hope to keep this at bay before those disgusting larvae come out !! I imagine if I catch and kill the mothers and the eggs , no larvae.
I am still putting diatomaceous earth at the base of each plant hope to further suffocate and rip to shreds the exoskeletons !! Sounds violent BUT I love my lilies and CAN NOT have them decimated again 1!
Hi Dr T – So sorry to hear that the beetles have found your lilies. Unfortunately, you must now enter battle mode and do your best to banish every single beetle and larvae. To my knowledge, diatomaceous earth has not proven to be effective. But vigilant inspection and hand-picking works. Especially combined with spraying Spinosad (which is considered organic). I have had very good luck with consistent application of Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew. After 6 years of trying to stay on top of the problem, I’m now seeing very few beetles. Have to be ready early as the beetles emerge from the soil at the same time as the lilies. Good luck!
Thank you so much for all of your advice. I saw significant damage for the first time last year after having lilies since 1994 and had no idea what those disgusting slimy brown things were on my plants so I just hosed them off. Today I saw that some leaves had been eaten in a few places and when I looked closer there was the tell-tale red beetle. I Googled and found your article and immediately went to town cleaning off the eggs and destroying two beetles. I am going to start a full scale daily assault because one of the buggers got away! Hopefully, I caught it early enough to prevent the mess I had last year. Thank you again for your advice!
Hi Kath – Good! So glad you found this information helpful. You have to be FAST to catch and destroy those beetles. And have a strong stomach to find and destroy the disgusting larvae. But stay on it. It may take time but you will be able to significantly reduce their damage. Good luck!
I first saw these on my lilies a few years ago. The last two years they have not only destroyed my lilies, but also my Chinese lanterns. They are not part of the lily family, are they? I know it is these same beetles because I have picked off the adults. The entire lantern foliage was stripped or covered in the poop blobs. Last year I took them all to the ground because it was so disgusting. I read that nematodes can control them, but they have to go in early spring so I tried to find them for this year. Now I can’t find anything about types of nematodes for these beetles. I don’t have a lot of money to spend and don’t want to get ones that won’t help. Should I just get neem oil instead?
Hi Amy – Physalis (Chinese lanterns) are not in the lily family. Sorry to hear that lily beetles attack them as well. I have not heard about nematodes being used against lily beetles. I do know that Spinosad, which is recommended in the article, works very well. You need to start early and reapply weekly until you see no more beetles. And be prepared to spray each year until you get them under control.
Is NEEM OIL considered ‘natural’?
What are all the natural methods to get rid of them?
Can diatomaceous earth mixed in water and sprinkled onto the plants and soil help rid me of these pests?
Also, do they bite?
Thank you,
Sandra
In this article we recommend two organic controls for the lily leaf beetle: Neem and Spinosad. Like all organic pesticides, these need to be applied according to the labels and with caution to protect beneficial insects including bees. The beetles do not bite humans. I have no experience using diatomaceous earth, so don’t know if it works or not.
Thanks !
Gréât thread !
I havé a bar of neem Soap… I will try to make a solution with it; and inform of Results
The squishing part is really gross to me, but I found I could slow them down by spraying a soapy water mixture on the leaves/beetles, then I used needle nosed pliers to squish them AND the eggs on the underside of the leaves. Seemed to work, I’ve been inspecting and haven’t seen anymore. I did this however, after they had already nibbled on some of the plants. They aren’t completely eaten though so do you think they will flower?
Hi Betty – Yes, the squishing part is definitely gross. But keep after it! You may get more than one round of them during the season. The problem with these beetles, besides being gross, is that by eating the leaves, they weaken the plants. Impossible to know if you will get flowers this year. It depends how much they diminished the plant. You may get flowers this year but not next year. To hedge your bets, consider planting some extra bulbs this fall or next spring. This is a battle that can be won!
Hi All,
I had à neem cake of soap I brought back from India way back in 2005. I let it soak overnight in my watering can and spray my lilies every time I find a bug in my lilies, about every 5-7 dans, with very good results. I got the idea from my Amerindian nursery supervisor in Guyana, one Rodrick Henry: Our nursery was infested with an unidentified bug with exoskeleton, and he sprayed the beds with a solution made from neem leaves + turmeric, and they were gone the next day. Since the neem soap works I haven’t tried the turmeric.
I have also heard that rhubarb « tea » is an effective insecticide, but my rhubarbs are still too small… I on l’y planted them last fall.
Regards,
Hi there – Thank you for passing on this suggestion. Glad to hear it is working to protect your lilies. Have never heard of using rhubarb tea as an insecticide. Very interesting!
I had beautiful lilies up (Zone 5B, NY) on a Tuesday. By Saturday, all the eggs that I missed scratching off had hatched and my lillies were completely eaten. This is the third year I’ve had to deal with this. I bought Neem oil and started spraying, but it did nothing to the already hatched larvae. My local nursery, who doesn’t carry lilies anymore because of the unwinnable war, suggested just blasting off the bugs with a hose. When you blast the larvae, their poop that they carry on their backs sprays all over my fence and neighboring flowers. I couldn’t take it anymore and ripped out 5 beautiful, established patches of lilies. I am not planting any until NY does something to control this pest, i.e. releasing parasitic wasps.
I find spinosad (Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew) works very well and it kills both beetles and larvae. You must spray weekly, starting just as soon as you see any sign of the beetles or larvae. Spray in very early morning or at dusk to avoid bees. Continue spraying weekly until you don’t see any more beetles or larvae. When spraying, make sure that you thoroughly coat front and back of the leaves as well as the stem. At this point in time, you can’t permanently eliminate this pest, but you can keep them under control. After 7+ years of fighting this pest, I have managed to knock back the numbers significantly and am able to spray less often. But you have to be vigilant as the larvae are voracious and can devour a lily plant in a day.
I’ve had lilies for years and saw this beetle for the first time this year – it’s destroying my beautiful lilies. I started using neem oil on my veggies this year and will try it on the lilies. I am also using neem oil on my holly hocks, which get eaten terribly by something, and the neem oil seems to be working for the holly hocks.
Hi – Where I live, these lily leaf beetles have been around for 10 years or more. Nasty things. I have not tried neem oil, but I have good success using spinosad. I start spraying the second I see a beetle and continue weekly until I’m not seeing them any more. Some years this has been end of May through July. This year I didn’t see any beetles until almost the end of June. They multiply very rapidly so you have to stay on it.
All my lilies are gone. Just destroyed stems sticking out of ground. I sprayed & pulled gross larva off leaves but to no avail. These have bloomed for 10 years so I’m sad. Then they moved on & found other lilies in another flower bed. Do I just dig them all up & start over next year?
Hi – I am so sorry to hear these beetles discovered your garden. Their damage is heartbreaking. You can dig up the bulbs if you want, but if not, they will simply decompose underground. You can definitely plant more bulbs, but be aware that you will need to spray them regularly to defeat the beetles because once they appear in your area they don’t go away. I love lilies and can’t imagine my garden without them. So for me it’s worth spraying. As long as I don’t slack off, it works. This year I have more than 50 big, healthy plants and am hoping to have tons of flowers.
Do you know how deeply into the soil these red devils burrow to winter over and approximately what diameter around the lilies they inhabit?
Hi- the beetles don’t overwinter in the lily bulbs –just in the soil. I don’t know how deeply they burrow. I live in zone 4 where the frost can go 3 feet deep and (unfortunately) they manage to survive here just fine.
Ugh. So mad and sad. I’ve got the beetles AND rust. And now I have a trash can half full of cannas. 😥
So sorry!
Have seen this red beetle on my lilies for the first time this year. I sprayed with Neem OIl but saw them again today. I sprayed directly onto the beetle and it seems to stun them enough that they do not fly away or drop which gave me a chance to take a stick and crush them on the cement. I appreciate reading all the tips and next spring will try earlier to keep up a regular program with the spray.
Sounds good!
Thank you so much for such an informative article and comments! I’ve had this bug for years and this year was the first year that I got serious about taking them out… I’ve mostly been doing it by hand so far, but next year will spray. In prior years I was like look at this red beetle and went about my way! Haha. After reading that they create a fecal shield called frass (!) to protect themselves from predators AND that they don’t really have any natural predators, plus my lillies looked terrible, I was like well I’m going to be the predator! They did quite a bit of damage each year, but the lilies are as healthy this year as they have ever been, so the LLB hasn’t destroyed them and the plant has actually thrived somewhat. I only wanted to point out that the beetles are kinda quick and drop off, but sometimes they seem really distracted and so it’s easy to catch them at certain angles. They do drop off on me, but I just come back and catch them later. Dropping them in a container with soapy water is so quick to make them drown and I spend way less time and energy squashing them. When you catch them and have them in your hand, you may notice the beetles make a small “squeek” sound… my little six year old has enjoyed making them “talk” immensely!! That is right before I drop them in the soapy water. No mercy this year or the next several for these frass pests!!
Hi Erin – I didn’t know about the squeak and can’t wait to listen for it! It’s true about coming in on them at an angle. Must plan your approach, be accurate and fast! Once they drop to the ground they are almost impossible to find. Though I have learned they often fall on their backs and lie still, so if your eyesight is good enough you can sometimes get them, which is doubly satisfying. Happy hunting!
The beetle has hit Northern WiI. They are invading our neighborhood. Several of us with the lily beetle have just gotten them this year. I’m going to try garlic water with dawn and some vegetable oil. I read it somewhere and the person was have some good luck and maybe it is just luck. I’ll try it.
Hi – You can give that a try. If it doesn’t, use Spinosad. It really works.
Hi I have been battling red lily beetles for 2 years picked them off the plants squished the brown buggers & still have them Should I treat the soil next spring & replant hundreds of lilies I have lost? Afraid to plant my lilies next season Need advise how to rid soil of contamination (beetles) next spring
Hi – Sorry to hear that these terrible beetles have found your lilies. I have had them around for more than 10 years now. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do the soil that will kill them. The only solution is to kill the beetles and their larvae when they are active (during the growing season). I have so many lilies that hand-picking takes too long and there’s simply no way to make sure I get every single one. So starting in May, I watch carefully for the first beetle and then begin spraying immediately. I spray all my lilies weekly from that point until I see no more sign of beetles or larvae. This year I didn’t need to start spraying until almost the end of June and by the end of July they seem to have gone. So I only had to do 4 applications. But where you are now (with a serious infestation), you may need to spray for 8 weeks straight. Use a 1 or 2 gallon garden sprayer that you pump up for pressure. Make sure to cover the stems and every leaf. Spray weekly (or more if it is rainy). Do it at dawn before the bees start working. Don’t miss an application — the beetles and larvae can decimate your lilies in just a day or two. I find Spinosad (Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew) really works. And after 6 or 7 years of spraying I have far fewer beetles to worry about (and lots more lilies!).
thanks for the information on red lily beetle I live in Leicester and do suffer from this. I have my Lillies in pots will repotting them and getting rid of the soil help next as they have been very bad this year.
Hi John – Ridding the soil of overwintering beetles may help, but there are probably plenty more nearby and they will eventually find your lilies. Hopefully next year there will be fewer, but in my experience, the problem continued to worsen. The only way I was able to break the cycle was with Spinosad. Spray weekely as long as you see beetle activity. Good luck!
Wow! I just discovered this sight today! I wished I had Googled this information sooner. All of my lillies were eaten up this year. First time ever! I have lived here for 27 years and never seen this type of infestation on my lillies, EVER! I have seen everything that you all have written about. I thought they were ladybugs, too! I assumed that this, too must pass. But they ate every single one of my lilies and I have lillies spread around in different areas of my garden. I wondered what that black, dirt-looking stuff was. I had no idea that the bugs run and hide, either. Now I will be more vigilant, Lord’s Will, NEXT year. My lilies were the talk of the neighborhood, but this year I had NONE! Thank you, my fellow lilly planting family. I appreciate knowing that I am not the only one out there suffering from this.
Hi – So sorry to hear those nasty beetles found your lilies. Here’s the thing. If they ate all the lily foliage this year, your lilies will probably not come back next year and if they do, they will be weak and unable to produce a good show of flowers. So you’ll want to plant more lily bulbs this fall or next spring (planting either time is fine). If it were me, I would not invest too heavily in replacing all the ones you had until you spend a season making sure you can get the beetles under control. Good luck!!
I appreciate your response. My lilies were the biggest show in my yard, too. Knowing that they may not come back next year, I probably will not buy any more food for the bugs. I’ll try to find something else to plant if they don’t come back. Wow! I’ve had some good years with my lillies, so I can cherish that!😞
Hi All,
Thanks to Kath LaLiberte, for this excellent blog, and for all the time she puts in answering our questions and providing advice. This follows up on my 17JUN 2020 post. I had good results with my neem soap bar left to soak overnight in my watering can. I figure I would have had even better results if I would have applied the solution with a spray container: This way I would have been able to reach under the leaves.
On a related topic, my next-door neighbour has a single lily plant growing in part shade, about 60 ft away from mine, and had not a single RLB (Red Lily Bug) on it. The same with another gardener about a mile away. Mine are in full sun. Might insolation be a factor? My neighbour also has black cedar mulch covering his flower bed. Might this also be in play?
Thanks in advance for any comment/insight.
Denys
Hi there – Thank you for your nice comments and for adding this update. I find using a sprayer is key to reaching the undersides of the leaves and getting full coverage. Mine has a handle that pressurizes the contents so I can spray for 30 seconds or so between pumping.
It seems like the more lilies you have, the more lily leaf beetles you get. Similar to the way a garden with a lot of roses tends to attract a lot of Japanese beetles. I use the black cedar mulch in some areas of my garden (including where there are lilies) and have not noticed any difference.
A wonderful exchange of information.
Many thanks to all
David, Bristol UK
Can the lily be saved in new England? I live in New Haven County, CT. I had all kinds of lilies in various flower beds for 30 years. Then, 7 years ago, the beetles arrived. I didn’t know what they were at first and so they got a toehold in my garden and wiped everything out. When you have a lot of lilies, its really hard to thoroughly hand pick. It takes hours. The beetles lay tiny eggs on the undersides of the tips of the lily leaves and larva grow to be about ⅜ inch as they eat the leaves all the way to the stems, leaving a black stump. I think that spraying with a strong stream of water does dislodge them and from what I see, they are pretty immobile once they fall to the ground. Then you can have the pleasure of stomping on them. But really, you’ve got to spray the undersides OF EVERY LEAF. In early summer they are especially voracious, and reproduce so fast, the beetles even bore into the flowers. Diatomaceous earth works, I believe, because of its dry spindly structure, by sticking to the bodies of beetles and cockroaches, so I don’t think it would work when mixed into the soil. Spraying the leaves seems like it has to be almost constant. Also, organic sprays are too weak, but I never use the alternative. I stopped planting lilies three years ago, but I couldn’t resist forever. I’m going to try again, planting them in a different area and keeping my fingers crossed. I plan to blast them off with water, order the gallon size of neem and spinosad, spray the ground as well as the leaves, use organic tomato dust and diatomaceous earth, and hand pick. Already exhausted. Well, that’s the plan, anyway.
Hi Catherine – I am in northern Vermont and have also been fighting these beetles for almost 10 years. I don’t do any handpicking as there’s just no way to keep up. Instead, I have been able to keep them under control by carefully spraying every single leaf and stem — to the drip point. I use spinosad (Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew). No need for anything else. This gets applied at either dawn or dusk, with a pump sprayer. Spray at least once per week, anytime you see beetles. Start as soon as you see the first beetle and keep it up until you see no more beetles. This may be midsummer or late summer, depending on the year. Good luck.
I find the easiest way to deal with the adults is to hand pick early in the morning while the temperature is at the lowest point. The adults are sluggish in cooler temps and quite easy to hand pick before they get warmed up..
I also agree. A great exchange of info. About a week ago i found my first-of-the-season little mother. Have had these for two years, now three. The first year was a mess, as i never saw them before. Bought spinosad and neem last year. However, i knew of no regimen until i saw your thread of exchanges. However, i also thought diatomaceous earth would be a good idea for beetle emergence and worth a try so i applied it to the dirt around the plants twice already. I am glad someone brought this up. Right now, i am in suburb of buffalo. It was 30 degrees last night with heavy snow all night. There was about 6” this morning and it is supposed to be 28 degrees tonight. My lilies started emerging already. Will these freezing temps cause much damage? There is still some snow cover left out there (3:00 pm) but i can see the lily stalks above the snow. Thanks for your help.
Hi Cindy – we had 19 degrees here one night the 3rd week of April and some of the lilies were 4-6″ high already. They were fine. Keep after those beetles! I just received a citizen science survey that is tracking lily leaf beetle damage in the US and Canada. They are tracking the effectiveness of parasitic wasps that are being released to help control the lily leaf beetle. If anyone wants to participate in the survey, here is the link: https://lilybeetletracker.weebly.com/new-2021-citizen-science.html
My 90 year old mother is a true lily lover and has watched her lily plants be devastated by these beetles ruining her yard. She lives in Batavia (outside of Buffalo New York.). I always felt lucky that I did not have that problem. I live on Long Island . 450 miles away. . I have never heard of anyone locally having this problem. , . . I never had to worry about my beautiful lilies. Until today. Saw the beetles and was crushed. This blog has been a godsend. I learned a lot from reading all of your comments. Thanks so much. Went to Home Depot today for Captain Jack’s bonide spray. Can’t say I will be able to win this war, but for now I am giving it a shot ( for my Mother). .
I was told that ladybugs will eat the lilly beetles. Is this true? I plan on buying some this week. Seems like an easy fix. Any thoughts??
Hi – It would be great if ladybugs were a solution, but as far as I know, ladybugs have no effect on lily leaf beetles. Ladybugs eat aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Lily beetles are bigger than ladybugs. And nothing would want to eat the larvae!
Hi, Can I use a mix of neem oil and potassium soap on my lilies?
Hi Lidia – I have never used that combination myself. You could try it on one plant to make sure it doesn’t damage the foliage, then see if it has an effect on the beetles.
Hi,
My friend just gave me some perennials from her flower beds. Although nonE of them are lilies, she had lilies previously that did have the red lily beetles so she got rid of all her lilies. I’m a bit unsure if I should put these plants into my flower beds that do contain lilies. Will the beetles still be in the surrounding soil of these other plants? Is it safe for me to plant them in my flower beds?
Hi Sandi – The lily leaf beetles overwinter in the soil and emerge in spring. Then they lay their eggs on the leaves of their host plants (lilies). So it seems unlikely they will be in the soil. But I’m not sure about that. Once the beetles are in your area, it’s difficult to avoid them as they are gradually expanding the territory they inhabit.
Hello, and they were back this spring! Caught and killed a pair of them, one was starting to lay her eggs. I was dusting with diatomaceous earth just as the lilies starting to peak out of the ground. I also scraped the few eggs she did lay. I am checking every day for any signs of them. We had several frosts, wondering if any eggs I may of missed, will they freeze?
Hi – I’m not sure, but I doubt that cold weather would kill the eggs. You’ll need to keep an eye out for more beetles, nymphs and eggs. They can appear at any point in the growing season.
Hello, I planted 20 lilies for the first time this year, low and behold, last night I found 4 of the ugly critters, squish.
Now my question is.. I’m considering buying Neem trees , is it possible if they are near the lilies would it help get rid of these scarlet devils?
Should I report to extension service I have found them in my area?
Hi – Lilies are the lily leaf beetle’s target plant, so I imagine they would continue to bother the lilies and just avoid the neem trees. If lily leaf beetles are a new pest in your area, the local extension service may be interested in knowing you have them. Extension Service offices are more active in some areas than others, so it all depends on where you are.
Hi, I’ve been checking my lilies pretty much every day except when it rain. I don’t see any adult beetles at all, but, there is an increase in eggs being laid. My question is:
– Do adult beetles go underground to hide, then come up to the surface to lay eggs?
– Will they start affecting my other plants like Bleeding Heart or Peony?
Please help me, my lilies were going strong without the beetles but after it, heavy rained for a week and now started to get warmer, my lilies started having tons of eggs, and it’s spreading but I don’t see any adult beetles at all.
Hi Prudence – Though the beetles are red and easy to see when they are around, they are stealthy. If you miss when trying to catch one, they drop to the ground and disappear almost immediately. So they probably do hide in the soil when not mating or laying eggs. The eggs are tiny and you have to look closely to see them. It’s the larvae that are most destructive and even they can be hard to see until they have already done some significant damage. This is why regular spraying is essential, especially when you have a significant infestation. The lily leaf beetle is very particular about what it eats and where it lays its eggs. I have never seen it harm a plant that’s not in the lily family (which includes fritillaria).
Hi, new to this forum. I am in SE Ontario, Ca. I have an infestation of small red beetles on the outside of my garage. Several clusters, must be in the hundreds. I have been advised that they are lily beetles. But.. there are no Lily’s anywhere near my property or in the area. How can I get rid of them and any idea if species if not lily beetles.
Thank you.
Hi – I have only seen lily leaf beetles on my lilies and have never seen them congregate in clusters. You can search for a photo of the lily leaf beetle and compare it to the ones in your yard. Red lily leaf beetles are relatively large and have a distinctive appearance. Hopefully yours are something else.
I have this beetles. I read if you mix garlic, oil and water. The oil will help kill them. They hate the smell of garlic. I have picked them out and killed them and I have gotten the eggs. I look every day and since I put the garlic, oil and water on the plant I have not seen them. If it rains I just apply more. So far so good. My garden does smell get around the plants but it’s better then them. Garlic is cheap.
I have found that hand picking is the best solution. I look every time I walk by the lilies. It has helped a lot but they still manage to do a tiny bit of damage. Spraying with neem oil hasn’t been as successful because it’s difficult to get every leaf and they’ll find the one that you miss. Also it has to be repeated quite regularly. Hand picking has worked for me. I don’t mind sticking my fingernail in them. The larvae is another story. Just put on rubber gloves and take care of them in a squishy swipe. The things we do.. I’m going to be the winner in this war. I won’t give up!
Hello Kath, I can’t believe the mess these beetles have made to my lilies.
I saw this beetle and had no idea what it was capable of, tonight I followed your tips on soapy water and squishing these pests, now what do I do with the soap water?
I live in Alberta Canada
Hi Marian – Make sure the bugs and larvae are dead and then just pour it out on the ground. Be vigilant about hand-picking or spray your plants with Spinosad. I was never able to keep up with handpicking. If a lot of the foliage has been damaged, it will reduce the plant’s ability to produce flowers next year. You may want to plant some additional lily bulbs this fall or next spring to compensate.
I have just discovered them in the last few days and they have totally skeletonized 5 different lily plants. So I think I am on the first wave. Never had them before this week. I have hand picked and drown a bunch. Plants are so bad, nothing much left to photosynthesize, thinking of cutting them back. Already applied diatomaceous earth, getting neem oil today. Question is will they shift over to hostas, or toad lilies? Both are in the Lily family but not Lily genus. I know they are not supposed to eat day lilies. Thank you
Hi Susan – so sorry to hear lily leaf beetles have found your garden. I have been battling them since 2008, but for the past several years there have been far fewer beetles to contend with and my lilies are looking great. It’s critical to be vigilant and spray consistently. It takes just a few beetles to create a big problem.
I have never tried neem oil, but find spinosad works quickly and kills beetles as well as the nymphs and eggs. Always spray at dawn or dusk to avoid pollinators. Don’t worry about your hostas and toad lilies. I have both in my garden and the beetles have never touched them. If you have fritillarias, they are almost as appealing to lily leaf beetles as the lilies are. Good luck!
Last year i pretty near lost all my lilies to this monster.
This year, however, i took the following measures, and lost not a single one, and they all have all their leaves. Here is what i did:
When i saw two beatles on one plant, i picked them off and crushed them; and checked for egg masses ; there were none. I then went to the back of the house and cut some rhubarb leaves, made rhubarb tea and sprayed all my plants.
10 days later i saw a single beatle, destroyed it, and that evening sprrinkled aq good amount of onion salt, like 10 years old; and no beetles for another 10 days, when i found two and a few egg masses. Destroyed all, and then sprinkled powdered massala my wife doesn’t use. That was 12 days ago, and nothing since. My neighbour’s are all chewed up, and i made some rhubarb tea for him.
An interesting multi-pronged approach! It’s key to stay on top of the problem and kill all beetles, larvae and eggs.
I had a beautiful display of asiatic lillies mixed with betony. It was breathtaking until I started noticing the leaves of the lilies developing holes and brown color. I read about this beetle two years ago and I thought I was safe. Not this year. I’m in New England and so I sure am not safe with this pest. I panicked and didn’t know what to do since they were pretty swift when I tried to remove them. Mean too. One flew in my face like it had a gun pointed at me. Unfortunately I ran out of neem and the only thing I had was pyrethrum which I only use on a severe case of infestation. It did the trick but I didn’t know about the bug retreating to the ground. I’ll soak that today with Neem since it’s been a week or so. I noticed that the bumblebee was not swarming the betony like they do every year so I wonder if this pest scare off the bees? When I applied the pyrethrum I was careful not to get it on the betony and it also was a quiet time for any bees hanging around. The good news is that my lillies were at the end of their blooming cycle. However, I did something I never do with my lillies which is cutting them down to the ground before letting the foliage die back naturally (I panicked). The Lillie’s are about 3-4 years old. Did I kill the chance of the plants returning next year with vigor? Should I check the soil and soak with neem? They haven’t touched my “tree” lillies so far is this a plant they don’t bother?
Hi – I also live in New England and have had good results using spinosad. Spray weekly starting as soon as you see the first beetles and continue until you don’t see them any more. Always spray at dawn or at dusk so the foliage is dry when bees and other beneficials are active.Soaking the soil probably won’t do much and could kill beneficial soil life.
Lilies need their foliage in order to produce energy that’s stored in the bulbs for the next season. This is why the lily leaf beetle is so destructive — it weakens plants by depriving them of their foliage. Unfortunately, cutting the plants back to the ground while they were still green may mean the end of those bulbs. If you want to ensure you have lilies next summer, you should plant more bulbs either this fall or next spring. The red lily leaf beetles target all plants in the Lilium and Fritillaria plant families.
Just bought some pure neem oil and sprayed it on my poor lillies. Should I of made a solution up with fairy liquid and water to be more affective against these horrible pests?
Hi – Suggest you try spraying with an organic pesticide that includes spinosad.
Ok, i had another egg mass yesterday, but did not find the beatle. I destroyed it of course. Tomorrow i will spray some turmeric tea.
I am expérimentons, so i will also try nutmeg and cloves.
Will post résults.
Happy gardening!
These lily beetles are impossible to control! I hand pick and I spray with neem oil. I still have damage, and new beetles must always fly in. They are really devastating! I hope someone comes up with a good solution soon!
Hi Diana – I have found spinosad to be very effective.
These beetles have eaten my Zinnia plants. I keep going to look and I find 2-3 every couple of hours. I know they say they ONLY eat of the LILLIUM family, but they sure LOVE ZINNIAS…..
Have never heard of red lily leaf beetles eating zinnias. I hope that doesn’t happen here. Are you sure they are not Japanese beetles? They love zinnias.
Kath! What a trooper you are!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful responses over time, and your encouragement for us to persevere!
I used to live in Vermont but had no lilies then. But have inherited care of some here in NY .. I think it sounds like spinosed sounds like the best solution, applied often and thoroughly.
Also thinking if planting new bulbs this fall as the plants were very decimated. And in a very short period of time.
Once again THANK YOU SO MUCH! KATH.
Sincerely
Lilly lover
Hey Alice! Thank you for your very nice comments. This forum is valuable for me as well. I love lilies SO MUCH and know others need them in their lives as much as I do!
Hi from Ireland where I’ve discovered this wee red devil. Sadly, too late, and most of my 10 Yr old lilies are infested and destroyed, and after wagung aar for 3 weeks dug them out. I’m still finding the wee buggers in my flower beds, despite having dug out most of my lilies. My tall, scented lilies appear somewhat resistant, with minimal damage. My question is, are they likely to be further damaged now that the red bug food source has been removed?
Hi Deirdre – so sorry to hear about your lilies. In my experience, once an insect pest is around, it stays around. Populations decline when the preferred food source is gone, but when it reappears they come back. Some types of lilies do seem to be more resistant to damage, but if they are the only food source available and there are lots of beetles around, I’m guessing they will eventually be attacked. Do try using spinosad if you can get it. Knocking down the population is possible! I have at least 75 lilies in my garden and only had to spray twice this year. Not sure if it’s me keeping the population down here in my yard or the overall population going down due to work with biological controls. Good luck!
Are red lilly leaf beetles harmful to humans if we touch them?
Hi Tracey – Absolutely not. You have to sneak up and be very quick in order to grab them. But that’s what I do. Grab and crush.
Hi Tracey, I have LILY beetles. I think they arrived 5-6 years ago. I had never seen one before then in probably 15 years of gardening up to that point. I didn’t catch on right away that there is a problem, I have quite a large garden. I’m thinking of digging up all my tiger lilies and I have maybe a couple other types. I was planning to plant them together so I could keep a better eye on everything, to make it easier to go out and check everyday. Do I need to treat the old places?If the beetle is going to find my lilies, I figure they will show up where I plant them anyways. We also have a plague of Japanese Beetles. We are rural, I’m quite certain the farmers here have let them get out of control. My husband goes around the gardens and yards 3 to 4 times a day and catches thousands. We feel on over our heads. Thanks
Hi – Unfortunately you can’t control this pest by treating the soil. You need to kill the beetles and their larvae. Grouping your lilies in one place makes it easier to monitor the beetles, but also easier for them to find and attack your plants.
Kath – what a diligent, supportive person you are to help so many gardeners attempting to stop these voracious beetles. I am already dreading the fight this Spring, as they destroyed my Gloriosa Superbum lily plants last year. I am in Northern PA. Thank you for helping me to be better prepared…
Hi Rhonda – Thank you for your nice note. My commitment to battling these beetles is personal — I love lilies so much and just can’t imagine my garden without them. I usually take a live and let live approach in the garden, but consider the red lily leaf beetle a real enemy. Good luck staying on top of the problem.
I live in southern Manitoba, just across the border from North Dakota. Lily beetle is thriving here, so cold winters do not matter to them. I have had them in my garden for two years. I hate the beetles so much I pick them off and kill them with my bare hands. Not squeamish at all, but they are disgusting. I have had good success with removing by hand and neem oil spray. It’s heartbreaking really, because lilies are so glorious in the summer, and even in our cold zone we can grow so many varieties. This is like a support group 😂
Hi Elaine – Thanks for chiming in. Keep after those beetles so they don’t deny you the joy of having lilies in your garden!
Hello! Thank you for the helpful information! After over 15 years of blooming perfectly, my Crown Imperials have struggled over the last few years. I discovered last year, that red lily beetles were the culprit. I live in rural Southeast Michigan and am determined to not let this new pest take my beautiful lilies. I appreciate all of the helpful tips and plan to check daily for the larva. My goal is to eradicate quickly. I have found Neem to purchase online, but can’t see anywhere in the product description that it works for red lily beetles. I appreciated seeing comments from other gardeners who are using it. I will order some today and be vigilant with my leaf inspections. Thank you so much for this post and have a blooming awesome growing season!
Hi Amy – good luck to you! Consider trying spinosad if the neem oil doesn’t work.
Last year I had only 3 – 4 beetles for the entire season (which I nailed real quick!) and I managed to produce a spectacular forest of deep crimson Asiatic lilies.
This year (up to May 12) I have already found six beetles and my plants are not even a foot high yet. Some of them are looking pretty crappy. Last year I was very diligent about examining the leaves and stems each and every day, which was labor-intensive, but worked to control the problem.
My question now is: is there a preferred time of day to check for these nasty little critters, and, are the beetles more active at one time of day versus another?
Many thanks for any advice or info you can offer.
Hi Cameron – Sorry to hear these pests are causing problems for you. Like other pests they move more slowly in the cool of the morning, so it’s a bit easier to catch them. But they seem to be active all day long and I think they’re easier to see when there’s lots of light. Maybe someone else on this thread has a timing suggestion. Good luck!
Year to date June 5 2020 I killed 79 red lily beetles
Year to date June 5, 2021 I killed 51 red lily beetles
Year to date June 5, 2022 I killed 9 lily beetles
Last fall I planted garlic into my lilies. So far it is working great at repelling beetles.
Hi,
I saw the beetle and did nothing to help my poor lillies in the front yard. Until I saw the excrement underneath the leaves. Then I picked off all of those leaves and threw them away. Is that bad for the lilies? I wish I researched it, I was just so worried they would die completely bc bunnies attacked all my lilies in the backyard.
Hi Jennifer – So sorry to hear about your lilies. Lily leaf beetles are truly terrible. Lilies need all their foliage in order to produce enough energy to generate another year of flowers. If your lilies were defoliated either by the beetles or by you picking off the leaves, it is unlikely they will bloom again next year. You can also be sure that the beetles will be back again next year because they overwinter in the soil and emerge in early spring. The best bet, if you want to continue growing lilies, is to plant fresh bulbs this fall and be prepared to spray weekly starting next spring as soon as the plants emerge from the soil. It’s a big commitment, but the only way I have found to effectively control the beetles. As for the bunnies… I am battling those as well!
If I dig up all my lilies will they go away
If not how long do they stay in the soil
Hi Rosemary – like many garden pests, lily leaf beetles overwinter in the soil. They emerge in early spring. Digging up your lilies will not help. If you want to grow lilies, the only way to control the beetles is to pick them off or kill them with an organic pesticide such as spinosad.
Hello I am in Hudson Valley NY The wee devils have arrived on lily plants in my back yard which have bloomed already; I do not see—yet?!– them on lily plants which are about to bloom in the front yard; is there a?y recommendation as to trying to protect the plants in the front yard or is it too late
Hi Jim – You need to pick off every beetle and scrape off all the nymphs — and/or start a weekly spray program with Spinosad. The lilies that have bloomed already still need their foliage in order to bloom again next year. Same goes for the ones that have not bloomed yet. Get after them and don’t give up.
I noticed today after having been gone for a week on vacation that it appears the Lily Leaf Beetle has taken over my lily plants while I was away (I’m located in mid Michigan). I hadn’t noticed them before I left but they have made quick work of destroying my Tiger Lillies. After spending time reading all the comments above I’m afraid it may be to late to save them. I am truly heartbroken as these were Lillie’s my grandma planted at least 30 years ago & she died in 2001. I loved looking forward to watching them bloom every year some of them were taller than me & I would just smile knowing she would be so happy that I had kept them when we bought her house and continued to tend to them. I’m so glad I have taken so many pictures of them over the years to cherish. Truly heartbroken😭😢😭
Oh dear. So sorry to hear about your heirloom lilies. Lily leaf beetles are truly terrible pests and can do so much damage so quickly. Since it sounds like you have a big clump of them, maybe some will return next year. If they do, get after the beetles starting in May and spray weekly. If you are willing to spray to control the beetles, consider planting some new bulbs next spring. When they bloom, they will still remind you of your grandmother and I’m sure she would be happy you made the effort to replace them.
Hi, I have been battling lily beetles for several years. This year I missed a few one Year old plants that have a lot of damage.. Will potting them up in new soil save them?
Hudson Valley NY
Hi Sara – Sadly, no. Lilies need their foliage to generate enough energy to develop next year’s flowers. By eating the foliage, the lily leaf beetles have deprived the plants of the nutrients they require. If you dig up the bulbs, I think you’ll find they are very small — too small to produce flowers next year. If you plant fresh bulbs next spring, be sure to stay on top of the beetles!
These little monsters found our Lily’s here in Roay Oak Mi. this year. (S.E. Michigan) After 22 plus years on enjoying our Lily’s, they were 90% devasted. Your advice is helpful. Only wished I noticed and attacked earlier. Plan to follow your advice by planting some new bulbs this Fall and being vigilant next Spring. Hoping some of the damaged will come back but realize they may not produce as much as past years. But, by Summer, 2024 I hope to be enjoying them again. Thank You!
Good luck Joe! Lilies are worth fighting for. If you plant good-sized bulbs next spring you should have blooms next summer.