The lilies are planted. The impatient longing for the blossoms will soon come to an end. But what is that? The leaves are eaten and the lilies look pitiful. What is going on here?
The lily beetle is the lily's worst enemy
A dreaded pest: the lily beetle
Its red wings make it difficult to hide, the lily beetle. It really catches the eye when it's on the green foliage of a lily. It is a black-headed beetle that grows to between 6 and 8 mm and is known to be extremely persistent. Lily lovers fear him…
eat lilies bare
The beetles and larvae eat the leaves bare. They are responsible for the fact that some lilies do not bloom or die despite sufficient watering and fertilizing. The beetle itself is less bad. It is much more its larvae.
Entire colonies are created to mate
The lily beetle lays its orange-red eggs on the underside of the leaves. The larvae hatch after 6 days. While the young larvae scrape the underside of the leaves, the older larvae eat the leaves from the top.
The bad thing: The lily chicks love to mate. Up to four generations can develop on these little animals in one summer! Lilies make them feel like paradise and they won't stop eating until the lily dies.
Fight the pest
You can recognize the beetles by their red colour. The larvae are orange-black in color. But because they cover themselves with their own feces, they appear gray. It is best to check your lilies for this pest at regular intervals from April to September.
The following measures can help in the event of an infestation:
- Collect beetles, larvae and eggs by hand
- Rinse away larvae with a jet of water
- Spray the plant with wormwood tea, soap solution, rock dust (14.13€) or algae lime
- Apply coffee grounds around the root area
- Chemical pesticides are usually not effective
More pests
Even the best lily care does not help against pests such as thrips and aphids. Voles, snails and nematodes can also damage the plant. If such pests are at work, the known control methods help against them.
tips and tricks
Even potted lilies are not safe from pests. Especially weakened plants on the balcony can be quickly attacked by aphids.