The leaves of water lilies can occupy the entire surface of the water. In between, the pretty flowers appear in summer, making the pond a holiday home for insects. But some insects cause considerable damage!

The lily leaf beetle deals significant damage to lily pads

The lily leaf beetle - voracious larvae

It is less the beetle that harms the water lily. Rather, it is its larvae that eat the leaves bare. The water lily leaf beetle lays its numerous eggs on the upper surface of the water lily leaves. The newly hatched larvae are very hungry and immediately attack the leaves. They are so voracious that they eat holes in the leaves.

You can recognize the eggs by their yellow-brown color. The clutches look square. They are about 2 mm in diameter. The larvae hatched after a few days. Here are other identifying features:

  • first scraping, later pitting
  • the flowers are attacked less frequently
  • Beetle: 6 to 8 mm long, colored grey-brown
  • Larvae: dark brown and yellowish underneath
  • Infestation from May

Recognize and combat water lily aphids

Water lily aphids can also infest the plants. They like to attack all parts of the plant. But they prefer to suck on the underside of the leaves (floating leaves) and on the stems. The leaves become light-colored and puckered by the sucking lice.

You can recognize the water lily aphids by their dark green to black colour. They are 1 to 2 mm long. They should definitely be fought, because the honeydew they excrete blocks the stomata of the leaves. As a result, fungal diseases can spread unhindered. Here are 3 countermeasures:

  • stripping
  • water jet
  • horsetail broth

Other pests on water lilies

There are other pests that can cause water lilies to stop growing or grow worse:

  • Water Lily Borer: Water butterfly larvae, 2.5 cm long, green and later grey, feed on leaves
  • Pointed mud snail: eats leaves and stalks, from March, likes to lay eggs
  • Mosquitoes: larvae eat the leaves, from March

tips

In the event of an infestation by the water lily leaf beetle, you can collect and dispose of the affected floating leaves. In addition, the larvae are killed and the clutches destroyed.

Category:

Vegetable garden