25 most spectacular and beautiful Beetle Species
8. Scarlet lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii)
Two scarlet lily beetles mating on a leaf that shows damage from being eaten
The scarlet lily beetle is red with a black head and legs. It is 8mm long. Image: pxfuel (CC0 1.0).
Scarlet lily beetle adults and larvae eat lilies and fritillary flowers, so they are often considered pests by gardeners. This non-native species is now widespread in Britain and Ireland.
The reddish-orange, sausage-shaped eggs of scarlet lily beetles are laid on the undersides of leaves. The larvae that hatch are reddish-brown with black heads but tend to be hidden under their own black excrement, known as frass.
The adult beetles winter away from lily plants - in soil, leaf litter and other sheltered places. They emerge in late March and April where they search for their host plants.
Two scarlet lily beetles mating on a leaf that shows damage from being eaten
The scarlet lily beetle is red with a black head and legs. It is 8mm long. Image: pxfuel (CC0 1.0).
Scarlet lily beetle adults and larvae eat lilies and fritillary flowers, so they are often considered pests by gardeners. This non-native species is now widespread in Britain and Ireland.
The reddish-orange, sausage-shaped eggs of scarlet lily beetles are laid on the undersides of leaves. The larvae that hatch are reddish-brown with black heads but tend to be hidden under their own black excrement, known as frass.
The adult beetles winter away from lily plants - in soil, leaf litter and other sheltered places. They emerge in late March and April where they search for their host plants.
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13 January 2023
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