Lily beetle - ratchet and how to deal with a red pest

What does a ratchet beetle look like: photo

Description of the beetle

Name: Lily ratchet
Latin: Lilioceris lili

Class: Insects - Insecta
Squad: Coleoptera - Coleoptera
Family: Leaf beetles - Chrysomelidae

	Habitats:	Europe and North America
	Dangerous for:	bulbous
	Means of destruction:	manual collection,

Onion beetle: twin brother of the lily.

The second name of red beetles is rattles. Beetle belongs to the squad leaf beetles. Of the most common rattles, it is worth noting:

• onion - has a bright red color of the head and body. With the help of a strong powerful jaw apparatus, it can destroy leaves, stems, buds, buds;
• lily - with a rich scarlet body and a black head.

Range and diet

Huge populations of beetles can be found in Europe and North America. This is influenced by the cultivation of the flower and the sale of bulbs. Beetles feed on all types of lilies and plants of the lily family. Adults and larvae destroy leaves, bulbs and stems.

Life cycle

Larvae of the lily rattle.

The size of the beetles is from 7 to 10 mm. Caterpillars are white or yellowish in color and have a black head. They live together with adult beetles and eat the green parts of the plant. They have a wingless thick long body. The thoracic part is narrowed, and the belly is a bit wide.

Mating begins in April. Beetles cling to lilies and hazel grouses. Females lay eggs on leaves and buds. Usually this is the underside of the leaves. Females finish laying eggs in July.

Each female lays about 450 eggs. The eggs are orange in color. These eggs produce 3 generations. A week later, the larvae appear. The larvae just hang on the leaves.

Pests are very greedy. Thanks to a good appetite, the larvae grow quickly. They become pupae on the 16th day. By the third week, the beetles become adults.

Methods of struggle

Manual collection is a method of control and prevention.

With a small amount of insecticides are not needed. It is enough just to assemble with your hands when single individuals appear. But after a few days, you will need to repeat the inspection and collection, because the beetles can move from other plants and appear from the larvae.

Parasitoids do an excellent job with beetles. These include 5 varieties of wasps and one fly. They inhibit the reproduction of beetles. Wasp riders quickly destroy all the larvae.

Folk methods

With a small number of bugs, you can use safe methods. From folk remedies, it is worth noting the good result of a decoction of bitter wormwood and high larkspur:

• 0,8 kg of fresh wormwood finely chopped, placed in a bucket and filled with water. Insist for 24 hours and boil for 30 minutes. After that, the infusion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1;
• 1000 g of larkspur are crushed and poured into a bucket. Pour cool water and insist 2 days.

Soap or shampoo is added to any mixture to keep the infusion on the leaves. Spraying is carried out with an interval of 7 days.

Chemicals

With significant reproduction, Inta-vir, Decis, Kinmiks are effective.

Use all drugs that help in the fight against the Colorado potato beetle.

preventive measures

Prevention measures include:

• reducing the acidity of the soil before planting with lime or wood ash;
• 

  Red lily beetle.

  digging the soil in autumn and mulching with peat;

• processing of bulbs with Bazudin or special substances - acatsirides;
• covering with a film of bushes;
• destruction of weeds.

Interesting facts about red beetles on lilies

Some facts about insects:

• the larvae smear themselves in their own excrement to protect them from birds;
• beetles are very careful - when approaching people, they fall on their backs. A black belly remains at the top and they are hard to see;
• in danger, the beetle makes a specific loud sound.

Conclusion

To prevent the appearance of pests, it is necessary to carry out prevention. When the first symptoms of a lesion are detected, an immediate fight against them begins. In this case, lilies can be grown healthy and beautiful.