Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.
Holes in lily leaves may mean the scarlet lily leaf beetle has moved into your garden.
This European native was first discovered in North America in Montreal Canada back in 1945. The Asiatic lily is most susceptible. Dayliles and some Oriental lily varieties appear to be resistant. You may also see this pest feeding on Solomon seal, potatoes, Smilax and flowering tobacco.
The adults overwinter in the ground and emerge in spring when they begin feeding on leaves and mating. The bright red beetles are less than ½ inch long. The females lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves. The eggs eventually turn red before hatching into larvae that resemble slugs.
Control these pests by removing and destroying the adult, larvae or egg masses as soon as they are found. Larger populations can be controlled with organic pesticides.
A bit more information: Always read and follow label directions carefully when using any pesticide, organic, natural or synthetic. If this is a new pest in your area, consider contacting your local extension office. This will help them track the spread and monitor the populations of this pest.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com.