Fewer here too.

Ugh. I thought there were fewer too, and grew lax about checking. Then, just as the Casa blancas became pristine 4-5’ candelabras, they suddenly turned into shredded wretches. Don’t let down your guard!

Hmmm... Maybe I better go look again! I was so hoping they were gone...! The beetles must be late at least since most of the lilies I can see easily still have clean/intact foliag.

Unfortunately they are still in full force here. These things drive me nuts!

:)
Dee

I've seen just about none for the past two years, after having them drive me crazy for years and to the point of wanting to give up on lilies. I asked around and I guess the University of MA is the lab that worked on some kind of parasite aimed at the beetle? That seems to be the explanation given for the sudden disappearance of the beetle here.

But now that the beetles are gone, rabbits are eating our lilies this year. So, can you really win as a gardener? [g]

They also worked on something similar for winter moths, which were destroying our trees for about 6 years straight. Beautiful leaves on all our trees this year and last.

Lilies at my workplace. How many can you spot?

Ugh Heruga! I still need to take a closer look at mine to see if the usual ugly mess is starting to happen... From the driveway, they still look good - but from the comments here, I won't be planting any more lilies any time soon! I was hoping I might be able to plant them again....

I have never had this before ie Japanese Beetles taking aim at an impatiens ie "Fusion Glow"

PM2 I had heard a few years back that "they" (whoever they are, lol) were releasing some kind of parasite to help combat the beetles, and I believe it did start in MA or somewhere near there. I was hoping the little buggers would make a quicker journey next door to CT, but it hasn't happened as quickly as I had hoped. I keep thinking "this year will be the year!" but not yet.

Rouge, I saw a JB on... geez it was just yesterday why can't I remember?... I think a zinnia, which surprised me. It surprised me because (whispers so they don't hear) I don't have a real problem with JBs (oriental beetles are my special nemesis) so not only was I surprised to see one, but also surprised that it was on a zinnia about 10 feet from a rose. But I'd much rather have them go after the zinnias. That didn't keep me from squashing him though.

:)
Dee

Hope they reach you soon, Dee. :-)

JP showed up here this week too. I don't get a lot. I do have Oriental Beetles too and they're more abundant than the JB. Right now I don't seem to have a lot for them to wreck, happily. I'd already just finished a first flush of blooms on roses and the few that were left were hiding a couple of beetles so I just took them all off the bushes. Time to put an application of Alfalfa Meal around the roses and let them build up a second flush anyway.

I checked out a couple of the easy-to-access lilies this morning So far, they still look good re absence of lily beetles and their mess! Here are a couple of pictures:

I'm not sure of the name of this one in the front bed:

Here's the same lily viewed through the arbour (the arbour needs clipping - I'm still not sure of whether I'll keep the euonymus on it or not.... I've noticed that I have to be extra-careful taking pictures as it is easy for the arbour arch to look oddly shaped instead of its proper round-headed Roman arch shape if I don't take the picture straight on! it's still not entirely filled in on the top right side and the left side need a good haircut on the lower section. I think this planting on the arbour may be more work that it's worth!)

The Regal Lily on the arbour is good re beetles but getting 'eaten' by the euonymus!

This was a few years ago when the arbour was 'bare':

This little pixie lily at the driveway border intersection with the path through the arbour is looking pale but not eaten by the beetles:

I t's a late bloomer - the picture below shows it in late July in the year we added the euonymus to the arbour. I really think I may take the euonymus off the arbour!

Woody, I find the problem with these arbors and arches and trellises, etc., is that I buy them because they are beautiful and gorgeous and lovely, and can't wait to see something growing on them.... and then when it does I can't see the arbor or trellis, lol. I think the key is to find something that grows on it but doesn't obscure it. At least, that what works for me.

What a lovely garden around your arbor. And nice, clean lilies! I'm envious! (of both, lol!)

:)
Dee

dee - I hope the nice clean lilies become the new norm and not just be a one- year fluke! I’ve had the arbour for a lot of years now and have tried different things on it. I thought having something evergreen on it might add to the period of interest - but it’s turning out to be a lot more work than I expected so I’m thinking maybe this fall on the day we have the garden folk we use to help with fall clean-up, I may get them to help cut it down and just keep a small mound of it by each leg of the arbour. It think growing the euonymus on the arbour gets chalked up to interesting idea that failed in practice :-). DH rolls his eyes at the thought of cutting it down now....