By the end of 2019 the destructive Lily Leaf Beetle was recorded in 12 Wisconsin counties including Dane where I live. I kept a lookout for it last summer, but thankfully never saw one or its damage.
In the larval stage these beetles mow down Asiatic, Oriental, Easter, Turk’s Cap and tiger lilies. And both adults and larvae eat the flowers, buds, stems and leaves of true lilies.
Like the Japanese beetles that tore through our area of the country like a little bug tornado more than a decade ago, this next pest will probably cause a lot of people to give up on lilies entirely until the numbers level off and become manageable.
Lilies are one of my favorite garden plants (especially the Orienpets!) so this is going to be a big blow when they finally make their way to my backyard. But will this be the year?
I will keep appreciating and enjoying my beautiful lilies until their time is up.