Karla Salp
Communications
The lily leaf beetle is a new pest threatening Washington’s gardens, nurseries, and native plants. It is a voracious feeder that can decimate lilies, fritillaries, and giant lilies overnight where it becomes established.
Communications
The lily leaf beetle is a new pest threatening Washington’s gardens, nurseries, and native plants. It is a voracious feeder that can decimate lilies, fritillaries, and giant lilies overnight where it becomes established.
Now, it is on the move and we are asking your help to monitor this pest and stop its movement.
Here is what to look for:
- Adults – Bright red adult beetles are about 1 cm long.
- Larvae – Larvae look like blackish brown blobs because they cover themselves with their own excrement to protect themselves from predators.
- Eggs – 1 mm long orange eggs are laid on the underside of leaves.
If you suspect you have found lily leaf beetle, you can quickly and easily report it online.
While the lily leaf beetle has been found around the Bellevue and greater Seattle area for a few years, the pest was first found in Olympia in June 2018 – a sign that it is significantly more widespread than expected. The pest was transported to Olympia on infested lilies, and it could have spread rapidly throughout the region on lilies or fritillaries moved from the greater Seattle area to other locations.
Learn more about the lily leaf beetle by reading our previous blog posts from 2018 and 2017. You can also contact entomologist Maggie Freeman in the WSDA Pest Program at 360-902-2084.
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| Adult lily leaf beetles are about 1 cm long |
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| Lily leaf beetle larvae cover themselves with excrement Photo credit: Richard A. Casagrande, University of RI |
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| Lily leaf beetle eggs |