RED ALERT

one on my tulips last week, needless to say he received the order of the boot pretty darn sharpish.........

Oh no, not already ! I'm going out right now to look over everything. . . . .

Right, I braved the windy weather and found many tulip leaves with holes in, no sign of any bugs or beetles though. Looks like I'll be checking again early tomorrow. : o ( (

Megan 75 I think its just members of the lily family such as lilies, fritalillies and the like . never heard of them eating tulips, but who knows : o ((

:o(.....must check my lilies. They are not very big yet, but who knows. I have found slug trails today, so need to sort that too!

i've only heard of that aswell Mageth.

Thanks for the alert, Mageth....
I'm giving this a "like" for your dutifully reporting your find to us all...!!!

im going to check tomoz, had a few last summer when my lilies were out so not going to take any chances this year

Sorry to hear you have this pest. It must be worrying . I've never seen one. (I hope that's not famous last words lol )

Potty, mine are only a few inches high. the adults overwinter in the soil. these then emerge around March to May go on to breed and you get the next generation later in the summer. They can be found on other plants at this time but they only affect the lily family. San, careful inspection every day from now on for me! they can strip a plant soooo quickly. Thanks Terra! always glad to do my duty for GoY : o ))). how lucky you are Hywel. They have been reported in Wales but mainly in the south. For anyone interested in the science and stuff the RHS has done a few studies http://www.rhs.org.uk/Science/Plant-pests/Lily-beetle

I live in the south-west . I hope they don't spread over here. Thanks for the warning.

I am mid Wales and I had them last year.. so must be on the look out. Watered tonight and forgot to inspect, on the list for tomorrow.

Yup me too found the first one yesterday - so pretty - but also so satisfying to put a fingernail through - what a sadist I am!

Ooh also found a black bee with no yellow or orange markings at all. Quite fun. Kids went to get camera - but you know the rest. Of course he wasnt still there by the time they were back.

Oh SS, I have to use my boot

discovered 3 pairs of the sly scarlet backed fornicators on my fritillaria and lilies yesterday. Whilst they were distracted I carefully placed my hand underneath them and grasped them between finger and thumb of the other hand ! (otherwise the canny little blighters drop swiftly to the ground 'belly up' and I can never find them after this little trick! ) Then I swiftly crushed them on the path with the heel of my large green wellington boot ! I really loath these creatures mainly because of the disgusting brown slime covered offspring they deposit on the plants ! Which of course hatch and munch their way merrily through prized plants ;)

One of the things that really annoys me about them is that they make yet more beetles in front of your eyes. Go get a room and a less prized plant is what I say.

Yep this is the breeding season(spring being in the air!). Fortunately there is only one reproduction each year, so if we get as many of them as possible now that will help. Apparently they are quite selective about which type of lily they prefer. L regale seems to be less attractive than some of the others. M i put tissue paper under the plant so I can spot them when they try to do there disappearing act