Please, what can get rid of fla*ing red lily beetle ?

Lee_Francis

This is the second year that my garden is suffering from this pain in the b**t.

Last year I picked them off my lilies and their yucky grubs/larvae. (Only had 12 lilies so not too bad a job)
I even dug up the bulbs and threw them away, and then dug out the surrounding soil and replaced etc.

This year, the new lilies looked ok BUT, I found to my horror that they are all over my rosemary, and on closer inspection my new lilies, yes they are there !!! At this rate will have to give up on lilies - just cannot afford to buy them for the fla**ng pests !

Unfortunately I have to resort to spraying, and need some advice.

I looked on http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0500/beetle.asp where the suggestion is "imidacloprid + sunflower oil (Bayer Provado Ultimate Bug Killer concentrate) or thiacloprid (Provado Ultimate Bug Killer Ready To Use)"
Looked on the net and looks like expensive stuff and there is some talk of it affecting bees ? (is that right?)

Anyway,
1. anyone used this stuff - cheapest I've found on the net is "Provado Ultimate Bug Killer Unique Contact & Systemic Insecticide" 3.99 at focus ?

2. Has anyone found a cheaper effective product ?

Please help
many thanks

Lee

shallowpockets

Hi Lee, I've got the same problem, saw one on Sunday and picked it off and OH stamped on it (quite viciously - some anger issues there, me thinks). I'm just dreading having another look, perhaps it's just particular lillies these attack? Any further info, greatly appreciated.

BlondeHeadOn

They are little bu@@ers, aren't they? I resorted to the Provado Bug Killer stuff last year. You need to spray in the evening to make sure you don't affect any bees - past a bees bedtime, apparently. I think the insturctions said you could spray early morning as well to avoid the bees, but as it gets light so early now I wasn't sure how early was 'early enough' so did the evening spray. It slowed the lily beetles down a bit, can't say it stopped them altogether.

This year my lilies are absolutely smothered in the red blighters, and to be honest I am tempted to more or less give up! The only problem is that they spread, and I don't want to be responsible for infesting all my neighbours lilies too. So, back to the Bug Killer. I don't like it though - I wiah there was a biological control for lily beetle.

Not sure how helpful that was, but it helped me to rant a bit!! Good luck with your battle against them.

susieb

Oh no I think I saw one of them on my willow (living willow playhouse) will they kill it or was it just passing?

Lee_Francis

Thanks for the solidarity rant !
Boy oh boy am I ranting here.

Cheapest/best value brand/retailer of Provado blondheadon/anyone ?

I wish I wasn't so against chemicals I'd nuke them !
Since giving serious chemicals up, my garden is a disaster area -black/green/brown aphids whitefly (ladybirds and birds are doing their best ) are munching killing distorting anything they can get their suckers into . . . Washing up liquid ? not even touching the sides . . .
AAAAAAAAAAAAAArgh !

Back down to earth - thanks for the bee tip as well

Any other tips and advice much appreciated

Lee

waz101

Wilkinsons own brand £1.89 bug killer trigger spray worked fine for me, I drenched them in it, I have only seen one since. (4 weeks ago) All of my lilies and Frittilera are now thriving.
The eggs look like bird !!!! so give them a spray as well.



Waz

shallowpockets

I've still not been out to have a look whether there's anymore, it's too heart-breaking, I love lillies.

Lee_Francis

Bought some nuke spray from Wilkinsons yesterday, bought some wine

(from Sains not Wilkinsons
- btw, tesco have an offer on thought I'd pass on if it hasn't already been read or received by you . . .
shop online for groceries, £15 off when you spend £50 plus valid on orders delivered til 3rd July - have to be a customer and they give you a coupon code etc etc )

I'm going to get plently of vino in to help me get over using the chemicals
whilst nuking the pests and diseases all summer
- wake up the next morning having forgotten
brag to all my mates
" isn't my organic garden fab and pest free - have no idea what i did right ! "

rant rant

Anyway, had a quick look outside early this morning and all looks quiet on the western front !

But my tomato plants look OK ??!!

Lee

bluedog

I have just nuked goodness knows how many of these things on my lillies. I wish I'd been here first and read about spraying in the evening. There aren't many bees in that part of the garden as there are only a few flowers there so far.

The larvae are disgusting looking things ....

other

that's why my lilies are starting to die!!! i just thought the soil was bad quality!

oh dear.....i have the lillies in the same patch as my chives
What to do? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: get rid of the lillies? I don't have the time to pick the beetles and eggs off, spraying is the only option:(

kgpuk

I had these last year and again about a month ago. I killed the beetles and removed the lillies from the original pot into seperate pots with new compost. I've put them into a seperate corner of the garden for now but haven't seen any beetles since. I also poured a couple of kettles full of boiling water over the old lily pot soil and replanted with something else.