Despite their delicate, elegant blooms, lilies are actually surprisingly tough and low-maintenance plants. Since many varieties originally hail from the rugged landscapes of Turkey and the Caucasus, they’ve got a natural resilience built right in. That said, even the hardiest garden favorites run into trouble sometimes, and for lilies, there’s one particular pest that loves them a little too much.
The Usual Suspect: The Lily Leaf Beetle
While most common garden pests tend to leave lilies alone, there’s one bug that literally made these flowers its namesake: the Lily Leaf Beetle. The good news? They aren’t exactly masters of disguise. These beetles sport bright, fire-engine red wing covers that pop against the green foliage, making them very easy to spot. When fully grown, they’re about 6 to 8 millimeters long (roughly a quarter of an inch).
Why They’re a Growing Problem
If you spot a few red beetles, don’t be fooled—the real trouble starts with their kids. It’s the larvae that do the heavy lifting when it comes to damage. They start by nibbling on the leaves and, as they grow, they’ll eventually devour the entire plant from the top down. If left unchecked, your lilies will be stripped bare and eventually die off. These guys are also prolific breeders; they can easily churn out four new generations in a single summer, so a small problem can turn into a full-blown infestation fast.
How to Fight Back
Your first move is to scout out every lily at your planting site. Give each plant a thorough once-over. While the adults are easy to see, the larvae have a pretty gross defense mechanism: they cover themselves in their own excrement to look like grayish-brown blobs. Here are a few ways to handle them:
- Hand-picking: Simply pluck the beetles and larvae off the plants.
- The Hose Method: Use a steady stream of water to wash the larvae away.
- Coffee Grounds: Sprinkle used coffee grounds around the base of the plants as a deterrent.
For a more “pro” DIY approach, many gardeners swear by a homemade spray. Mix a mild soap solution with wormwood tea and a bit of rock flour or calcified seaweed (algae lime). Spray this mixture directly onto the affected foliage. While you might occasionally see aphids or thrips on your lilies, they’re much less common and can usually be handled with standard organic pest controls.
