Wildlife in the Garden - June 2014

[Maggi Young]

Unusual request -

Dr Ian Bedford  Head of Entomology at John Innes Centre tweets : "Does anyone have Red Lily beetles? Urgently trying to obtain some live specimens"

[Roma]

Is it not a bit late for adults?  I found 10 this year late April or early May.  I have not seen any signs since.  One potted lily was being chewed but it was a green caterpillar.  I'm just a beginner with the lily beetle so maybe someone with more experience can help.

[Maggi Young]

Wondered myself if it might be a bit late, Roma. There may be someone willing to help with their population though!
Ian Bedford is an entomologist so he must be hopeful.

[Matt T]

RHS suggests that there are 2 generations, with the second 'batch' to expected soon I guess:

Red lily beetle overwinters as adult beetles in soil, leaf litter and other sheltered places... The beetles begin emerging on sunny days in late March and April when they seek out the foliage of host plants. Eggs are laid...the larvae go into the soil to pupate. The next generation of adult beetles emerges from mid-summer onwards. These beetles add to the feeding damage but there is only one generation a year and these late summer adults will not mate and lay eggs until the following year.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=553

[brianw]

I squashed 1 earlier today.
An observation from this years experience. Having moved to a new garden and taken pots with me, and potted up several newly purchased bulbs. Only the old bulbs/pots have had lily beetles this year. None, so far of the newly potted bulbs. So were they in the old pots? In general have seen far fewer this year than previously, in mine or a neighbours garden. I get most on Cardiocrinum, but then they are a bigger target I guess.