The scarlet lily beetle, red lily beetle, or lily leafbeetle (Lilioceris lilii), is a leafbeetle that eats the leaves, stem, buds, and flowers, of lilies, fritillaries and other members of the family Liliaceae. It lays its eggs most often on Lilium and Fritillaria species. · Lily Leaf Beetle, also known as red or scarlet lily beetle, can cause significant damage to native and cultivated true lilies. Learn how to identify and manage this insect in this factsheet. · Lily beetles, or scarlet lily beetles, are easy to identify by their bright red shells and the damage they inflict on lily foliage. But recognizing the problem is only the beginning. My experience in controlling these pests spans various methods, from organic solutions to more direct approaches. View all Researchers are studying the effectiveness of introducing some of this exotic pest's natural enemies. In the meantime, there are safe, organic ways to help keep the lily leafbeetle in check. In regions that have been invaded by this pest, it takes diligence to protect lily plants. Lily leaf beetles feed on the leaves of all species of true lilies, but they also feed on spring-blooming Fritillaria plants as well as lily of the valley, hollyhocks and a handful of other plants. But, the plants that are prone to the highest levels of damage are the lilies. One thing worth noting, though, is that lily leaf beetles do not attack d...See full list on hobbyfarms.comAdult lily leaf beetles are bright red, oval-shaped and about 1/2 inch long. Their legs and antennae are black. The eggs are orange and laid in rows along the undersides of lily foliage. They’re typically found in May. Soon, the larvae hatch. Larvae are fat and slug-like. They’re typically orange, brown or yellow with black heads.The larvae are oft...See full list on hobbyfarms.comLily leaf beetles overwinter as adults. No sooner do the lily plants begin to emerge from the soil when this pest begins to feed on the foliage. Upon hatching, the larvae feed on lily foliage, too, causing ragged leaves. As the larvae feed, they pile their own excrement onto their backs (gross!) to help camouflage and protect them from predators. T...See full list on hobbyfarms.comBoth the adult and larval lily leaf beetle are slow moving and easy to handpick. It’s also easy to spot the lines of orange eggs on leaf undersides in the late spring and scrape them off the plants to destroy them. In situations where hand-picking isn’t possible, organic pesticides based on spinosad are highly effective against these leaf-munching ...See full list on hobbyfarms.comLily leaf beetles are red, oval beetles that feed on all types of true lilies and some other plants. Learn how to handpick, scrape eggs, use organic pesticides or parasitic wasps to manage this pest.See full list on hobbyfarms.comNov 24, 2025 · Lily beetles, also known as scarlet lily beetles, are destructive pests that can cause significant damage to your garden. To protect your plants from these red garden beetles, it is essential to identify and remove them as soon as possible. Where did the lily leaf beetle come from?Native to Eurasia, the lily leaf beetle was initially discovered in North America in Montreal, Canada, in the 1940s and in the United States in 1992. Movement of bulbs is the presumed method that this insect has spread between countries. The beetle spread rapidly through New England in the mid- to late 1990s.What is a lily leaf beetle?Pest Alert The lily leaf beetle (LLB), Lilioceris lilii, also known as the red or scarlet lily beetle, is an invasive insect of Eurasian origin. This insect was first reported in North America in eastern Canada during World War II and was most likely introduced in shipments of plant materials from Europe.Do lily leaf beetles kill lilies?Lily leaf beetles destroy all types of true lilies. Learn how to properly identify this pest, the regions where you'll find it, and how to mange it organically. Lily leaf beetles (Lilioceris lilii) are an extremely destructive pest of true lilies.What are Red Lily beetles?Lily beetles, also known as scarlet lily beetles, are destructive pests that can cause significant damage to your garden. To protect your plants from these red garden beetles, it is essential to identify and remove them as soon as possible. Common home remedies and natural methods have worked successfully for other gardeners. The scarlet lily beetle, red lily beetle, or lily leafbeetle (Lilioceris lilii), is a leafbeetle that eats the leaves, stem, buds, and flowers, of lilies, fritillaries and other members of the family Liliaceae. It lays its eggs most often on Lilium and Fritillaria species. · The primary hosts for lily leafbeetles are plants in the genus Lilium and Fritillaria. The beetles are commonly found on tiger lilies, Easter lilies, Asiatic and oriental lilie, and fritillaries, making them the most at-risk for significant feeding damage. Researchers are studying the effectiveness of introducing some of this exotic pest's natural enemies. In the meantime, there are safe, organic ways to help keep the lily leafbeetle in check. In regions that have been invaded by this pest, it takes diligence to protect lily plants. Lily leaf beetles feed on the leaves of all species of true lilies, but they also feed on spring-blooming Fritillaria plants as well as lily of the valley, hollyhocks and a handful of other plants. But, the plants that are prone to the highest levels of damage are the lilies. One thing worth noting, though, is that lily leaf beetles do not attack d...See full list on hobbyfarms.comAdult lily leaf beetles are bright red, oval-shaped and about 1/2 inch long. Their legs and antennae are black. The eggs are orange and laid in rows along the undersides of lily foliage. They’re typically found in May. Soon, the larvae hatch. Larvae are fat and slug-like. They’re typically orange, brown or yellow with black heads.The larvae are oft...See full list on hobbyfarms.comLily leaf beetles overwinter as adults. No sooner do the lily plants begin to emerge from the soil when this pest begins to feed on the foliage. Upon hatching, the larvae feed on lily foliage, too, causing ragged leaves. As the larvae feed, they pile their own excrement onto their backs (gross!) to help camouflage and protect them from predators. T...See full list on hobbyfarms.comBoth the adult and larval lily leaf beetle are slow moving and easy to handpick. It’s also easy to spot the lines of orange eggs on leaf undersides in the late spring and scrape them off the plants to destroy them. In situations where hand-picking isn’t possible, organic pesticides based on spinosad are highly effective against these leaf-munching ...See full list on hobbyfarms.comLily leaf beetles are red, oval beetles that feed on all types of true lilies and some other plants. Learn how to handpick, scrape eggs, use organic pesticides or parasitic wasps to manage this pest.See full list on hobbyfarms.comNov 24, 2025 · Lily beetles, also known as scarlet lily beetles, are destructive pests that can cause significant damage to your garden. To protect your plants from these red garden beetles, it is essential to identify and remove them as soon as possible. Where did the lily leaf beetle come from?Native to Eurasia, the lily leaf beetle was initially discovered in North America in Montreal, Canada, in the 1940s and in the United States in 1992. Movement of bulbs is the presumed method that this insect has spread between countries. The beetle spread rapidly through New England in the mid- to late 1990s.What is a lily leaf beetle?Pest Alert The lily leaf beetle (LLB), Lilioceris lilii, also known as the red or scarlet lily beetle, is an invasive insect of Eurasian origin. This insect was first reported in North America in eastern Canada during World War II and was most likely introduced in shipments of plant materials from Europe.Do lily leaf beetles kill lilies?Lily leaf beetles destroy all types of true lilies. Learn how to properly identify this pest, the regions where you'll find it, and how to mange it organically. Lily leaf beetles (Lilioceris lilii) are an extremely destructive pest of true lilies.What are Red Lily beetles?Lily beetles, also known as scarlet lily beetles, are destructive pests that can cause significant damage to your garden. To protect your plants from these red garden beetles, it is essential to identify and remove them as soon as possible. Common home remedies and natural methods have worked successfully for other gardeners. The scarlet lily beetle, red lily beetle, or lily leafbeetle (Lilioceris lilii), is a leafbeetle that eats the leaves, stem, buds, and flowers, of lilies, fritillaries and other members of the family Liliaceae. It lays its eggs most often on Lilium and Fritillaria species. · The primary hosts for lily leafbeetles are plants in the genus Lilium and Fritillaria. The beetles are commonly found on tiger lilies, Easter lilies, Asiatic and oriental lilie, and fritillaries, making them the most at-risk for significant feeding damage. · Lily beetles, also known as scarlet lily beetles, are destructive pests that can cause significant damage to your garden. To protect your plants from these red garden beetles, it is essential to identify and remove them as soon as possible. · The primary hosts for lily leafbeetles are plants in the genus Lilium and Fritillaria. The beetles are commonly found on tiger lilies, Easter lilies, Asiatic and oriental lilie, and fritillaries, making them the most at-risk for significant feeding damage.