Reply To: Bugs on lily plants

[E. Vinje]

Hello –

There is a small (1/4″ – 1/2″), red bug with a voracious appetite known as the Lily Leaf Beetle. It attacks, as you might expect, lily leaves… but will also feed on the stems and flowers of the plant. I have suggested several least-toxic steps for controlling these little buggers below.

• Handpick beetles in the early morning and toss them in a bucket filled with soapy water
• Look for egg masses under leaves and crush them
• Apply neem oil to plants on a regular basis. It will kill immature stages and has been shown to repel the adults.
• Spinosad, the active ingredient in Monterey Garden Insect Spray, is effective against this pest.
• If all else fails, reach for a broad spectrum organic insecticidal spray. Safer® Yard & Garden Insect Killer kills on contact, yet is gentle on plants.

Hope this helps!