Recognize and fight pests

A dreaded pest: the lily chicken

Because of its red wings, it is difficult for the lily chicken to hide. It really stands out eyewhen it's on the green foliage of a lily. It is a black-headed beetle that grows between 6 and 8 mm in size and is considered to be extremely stubborn. Lily lovers fear him ...

Eating lilies bare

The beetles and larvae eat the leaves bare. They are responsible for the fact that some lilies do not bloom or despite sufficient watering fertilize die. The beetle itself is less bad. It is much more its larvae.

Whole colonies develop happily to mate

The lily chicken lays its orange-red eggs on the underside of the leaves. The larvae hatch after 6 days. While the young larvae scrape the underside of the leaves, the older larvae eat the leaves from the tip.

The bad: The lily chickens love to mate. Up to four generations can develop on these animals within one summer! They feel like they are in paradise on lilies and don't stop eating until the lily dies.

Fight the pest

You can recognize the beetles by their red color. The larvae are orange-black in color. But because they cover themselves with their own droppings, they look gray. It is best to check your lilies for this pest at regular intervals from April through September.

The following measures can help in the event of an infestation:

• Collect beetles, larvae and clutches by hand
• Rinse the larvae away with a jet of water
• Plant with wormwood tea, soap solution, Rock flour(€ 12.33 at Amazon *) or Algae lime spray
• Spread coffee grounds around the root area
• chemical control agents usually do not work

More pests

Also the best Lily care does not help against pests such as thrips and aphids. Voles, snails and roundworms can also damage the plant. When such pests are at work, the well-known control methods help against them.

Tips & Tricks

Self Lilies in the pot are not safe from pests. Weakened plants on the balcony in particular can quickly be attacked by aphids.