To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] red leaf lily beetles!
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 17:40:02 -0400
HI
I first started with Neem- I sprayed and they fell off and crawled
around and into the dirt. No body died that I could tell- they were active
again when I came back out an hour or so later, feasting on my lilies. I
even tried picking them off and dropping them into Neem water. I didn't
notice any difference than dropping them into dish detergent and water.
I sprayed pyola directly on the red leaf lily beetles-- they fell off,
crawled around and later were back up on the stalks feasting AND this was
maybe one or two days after I tried Neem. I didn't bother spraying again.
I routinely pick and drown red leaf lily beetles (and Japaneese beetles)
as I see them. I have only seen one larvae- it was frozen in place on the
lily, not moving and stiff, and it didn't have the typical coating of its
own fecal material on it, so I guess/ hope it ate some leaf and died of the
Sevin..
I have gotten pretty good at catching and drowning beetles-- I use
bright gloves and hold one hand under the red beetle as I try to pluck it
with the other hand-- they are tricky but I usually catch them! or I go back
and get the ones I missed later. The white sheet is a good idea but I
wouldn't have room to get it between plants. And the beetles fall pretty
close to the stalk. They keep flying in from the other lily beds in the
neighborhood.
I have gotten resigned to using Sevin- it works.