What is eating my lily buds?

15 years ago

Hi everyone,

I am new here and I did search the forums for an answer to my question.

This is the second year that something has been eating my lily buds. Mostly just the buds before they open. What ever it is will eat its way inside of the bud and devour it. They are leaving behind black and orange poop - which is very tiny.

I presume it is some sort of a bug, but have never seen a red lily beetle or any foamy bits or slime - so I doubt it is that.

In fact I have never seen any bug or caterpillar on them ever. Well, I did see a ladybug nymph today but that isn't doing this! ;)

I really am stumped!

I am going to imbed some pics (attempt it anyway!) of the damage and the poop!

TIA, Holly (aka Bearswife)

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Comments (6)

Bearswife11
Original Author
15 years ago
I checked them again early this AM and didn't see any bugs. I also put out a slug trap and got nothing.

Can anyone help me out? I'd really appreciate it.
nutsaboutflowers
15 years ago
Hi there.

I had the same thing last year and I was unable to determine what it was. Someone suggested some type of wormy thing coming from the soil.

If it makes you feel any better, I don't have them this year, at least not yet, and I have about 130 buds on 11 stems, so it doesn't appear to have done any permanent damage.

Please post here if you ever find out what it is.

Maybe someone on this forum will still identify it.
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kayman
15 years ago
The type of damage and the droppings point to an insect larva and not a slug or a snail (snails tend to graze across a leaf or bud, leaving holes surrounded by undamaged leaf). Since you haven't found any caterpillars it's probably a sawfly larva or something similar. These look like caterpillars, but hide in the soil near the plant during the day. If you go out with a flashlight just after it gets dark you should be able to spot them. If there aren't too many you can handpick them & dispose of them, otherwise I'd suggest a systemic insecticide (and perhaps a preventative spray early next season before the damage gets done).
CathySkiGirl
15 years ago
To kill insects on my lilies, hollyhocks and roses, I made a non-toxic insecticide:
1 head of garlic pureed
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of a non ammonia containing dish soap such as ivory or joy ultra
2 cups of water
Stir, strain and spray. Try to avoid beneficials such as bees!
wepeeler
15 years ago
I've been using Ortho's Flower fruit and vegge insect killer on everything from my roses to my lillies and that seems to keep the damage to a minimum. It comes with an attached sprayer and is really easy to use. Def recommend spraying your lily buds maybe 2-3 times a week...
terry bartinson zone 3a NorthWest Ontario C
10 years ago
Hi. OP, hope you got your problem solved. I've had a similar issue for a 3rd year. A tiny black bug is eating into the buds and when they open the flower is disfigured. Also, I am losing lilies each year. One type of affected lily went from 11 plants with flowers (the year I noticed the bulbs with holes in them) to 9 last year to just 4 this year. So it appears that not only is it eating into the BUD but somehow killing plants too. Any ideas?