Red Lily Beetle - new kid on the block

recedite

https://www.growveg.co.uk/pests/uk-and-europe/red-lily-beetle/
I found one of these for the first time yesterday, fairly new to Ireland apparently (only in the last few years).


Its quite eyecatching, it looks like a small ladybird at first, but without black spots. It has some unusual defence mechanisms too...

Larvae are usually covered in their own slimy black excrement.

Its called a "fecal shield". Gross!

Adults show their dull side when poked; they play dead.

Adult beetles will fall to the ground and will lay still with their black undersides facing upwards, making them difficult to find.

fryup

if its invasive kill it ?

Cantona's Collars

fryup wrote: »

if its invasive kill it ?

The mother had an infestation of these on lilies in her garden. She thinks they came in with lily bulbs she bought. They destroyed the lilies.
A quick Google told me to use pesticides and kill them.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

They are in Britain about thirty years, in Northern Ireland since at least 2002 and first recorded on Cork in 2009, but are thought to have been here a few years before that.

They are an invasive and species that should be destroyed if discovered. Infected plants should be checked for grubs.

recedite

I think there is zero chance of eradicating a new arrival like this, once it gains a foothold in the country. They are not exactly going to take over the place though, as they seem to be a fairly specialist feeder. Nevertheless I found a few more on some lilies and crushed them, just to give the lilies a better chance before the beetles lay too many eggs.
I haven't bought any new lilies in the last few years, but have some of those fairly common orange perennial ones that come up year after year. The beetles must have arrived using their wings.
The way I see it, we probably lose more insect species than we gain, so I tend to view new arrivals with an impartial eye unless they are upsetting the overall balance of nature in a major way.