Have You Seen the Red Lily Beetle?

The Red Lily Beetle (Lilioceris Lilli) a native of Europe was discovered near Montreal in 1945. Its damage was limited to the Montreal area for decades, but recently it has spread to the south and west. Many gardeners believe it came with bulbs shipped from Europe. The beetles are strong fliers and excellent hiders. In 1992 they had spread into Ontario and the New England States. In 2004 they were reported in the Portage la Prairie area in Manitoba. This last year there have been 15 different sites reported in Manitoba as well as the area around Calgary, Alberta. Not all areas are yet infested and gardeners who are transplanting bulbs should be careful not to move these beetles to an uninfected area.

The Red Lily Beetle is an 8mm long bright red beetle with a black head and legs. The larvae have dirty orange-red bodies with black heads. The larvae usually cover themselves with their own slimy black excreta and could be mistaken for bird’s droppings. With adequate food they reach 8-10mm in length, at which stage they pupate in the soil.

Both adults and larvae damage lilies primarily by defoliating them but in heavy infestations the flowers, seed capsules and stems will also be eaten Although adult beetles have been found on other plant species it is only the lilies and fritillaries which are true hosts on which eggs are laid and the larvae develop. In Canada no natural predator is known.

Control

At present gardeners rely on chemicals or hand picking to control this pest, but the long period over which the adults are active ( late April to October) can make this difficult. Adequate control in areas where the pest is abundant may require measures to be repeated during spring and summer. In some areas of Ontario and Quebec, gardeners have stopped growing lilies due to this beetle. We know, on the Prairies, that the problem will likely become more widespread and while we can monitor our garden lilies, what about our wild Prairie Lilies (L. philadelphicum var. andinum)?

It is hoped that through a network of volunteers the movement and activities of the Red Lily Beetle can be monitored in Saskatchewan and thereby protect the wild Prairie Lily. The Saskatchewan Department of Environment has been made aware of this threat and has indicated that if this invasive species is found, necessary action will be taken as required. We need your help in monitoring this pest which you can expect to see early in the spring. We do hope you protect your wild Prairie Lily patches and if you spot this beautiful but deadly pest, please call 306-586-3697 or 306-569-0804.