Lily Leaf Beetle
The Lily Leaf Beetle, Lilioceris lilii., a native insect of Europe, is a very serious and widespread pest of native and exotic lilies throughout New England. It was first reported in 1997, and it threatens the use of garden lilies in our region. It lays its eggs (see first photo below) and completes its life cycle only on true lilies and fritillarias, but the adults may feed on and cause minor damage to a few other herbaceous plants such as Solomon’s seal and flowering tobacco. They do not reproduce on these plants, however. Both the adults and larvae feed on the leaves, stems, flower buds, and flowers. The defoliation reduces plant vigor and flowering, greatly diminishing the aesthetic quality of the plants. These insects do not feed on daylilies.
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- Lily Leaf Beetle eggs
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- Lily Leaf Beetle
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- Lily Leaf Beetles (July 5th, 2021)
Additional Information:
- Lily Leaf Beetle (UMaine Extension publication)
- Lily Leaf Beetle (University of Massachusetts)
- Lily Leaf Beetle Photo ID Guide (University of Rhode Island)