Friday, May 07, 2004

Busy Beetles

image of lily leaf beetle

Well, it took about 2 weeks from the time the Asian lilies in my yard resprouted for the lily leaf beetles (Lilioceris lilii) to show up. I don't care for Asian lilies, and these are just leftover in pots from the previous owner, but I have been watching them carefully since I saw the damage the beetles inflicted last year. There were two pairs on the plants today (one on top of the other), and one all alone. All five are dead now, but I'm sure there will be more as the season progresses. Adult lily leaf beetles emerge from the ground in the spring to mate, and while they are not as disgusting to look at as their feces-covered larvae, they also cause leaf damage. You can see last July's ISW entry about the beetles by clicking here.

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