May 30, 2007

Gross picture warning!

I was hoping not to be able to show you this. But now that I am able, I am obliged. It's that stupid sense of public duty.

My lily beetle hunting expeditions were quite successful this year. I must have squished 30 or 40 of the pretty little nasties, often two by two. I scraped off the occasional clutch of little orange eggs, after dutifully posting the pictures here.

But one of them eluded me. Yesterday, my eye caught sight of a severely chewed leaf and I knew. I just knew. And here it is, complete with chewers.

Lily beetle larvae

One word. Ew.

That disgusting mass of goo contains a lily beetle larva which has successfully made itself extremely unappetizing. The easiest way to deal with these revolting creatures is to rip off the leaf and drop it into soapy water. Or grab a twig and knock the larvae into the same soapy water. Personally, I don't care to soil my shoes by dropping them on the pavement and stepping on them, but what you do with your shoes is your business. But do get them out of there quickly. Left unchecked they can wreak incredible damage. Fortunately, I seem to have only one leaf's worth. Being vigilant during mating season has paid off for me.

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11 comments:

Knitters Notebook said...

You are right Gross! It looks like the rest of the plant is surviving though.

Happy Gardening,

Renee

Janet said...

I pick them off as soon as I see any damage. If you nip the problem in the bud, no significant damage is done.

Hanna said...

Yuck! Ick! Eww! It looks like someone pooped on the plant.

Linda said...

The red lily beetles have invaded my lilies this year. I constantly pick and squish ... keep a brick and rock beside the plants. I also have a contianer, with lid, of water and oil, which I drop the offending leaves into.

Krista said...

Hi! Great Blog! I'm sorry to sound forward, I know you don't know me.....but I'm a brand new gardener and I have no idea what I'm doing. I have a blog over at kristasgarden.blogspot.com and I took a picture of something strange growing at the top of my shallots. If you have a minute, would you pop over there, take a look and let me know your opinion? I'd really appreciate it. Thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

Wow, and I thought the slugs up north were bad! I'm happy we only have slugs now...

Nirmala said...

This does take the cake, and I've seen some pretty bad insects and beetles.

You have a lovely blog. Will visit more often.

Erica Ridley said...

Ew... but great photo!! =)

Anonymous said...

Hey Hanna, I thought the same thing.. but I must say I learned from this short journal entry.. as I always pick up tid bits everytime I check out this blog. very cool.. Thanks

Wicked Gardener said...

Ewww - I love a good gross picture, especially on someone else's yard! Lovely blog.

Link Building said...

Eeew! Benefits of living in an apartment - No nasties!