BEETLE ALERT

THE lily beetle is multiplying rapidly and can ruin your plants.

The little red insects resemble oblong ladybirds but have no spots. Their defence action is to drop off the plant as soon as your shadow is detected.

Patrol your lilies daily, to see whether there are any adults or larvae on their foliage. Pinch the adults and grubs off the leaves whenever you find them. Disposable polythene gloves make this task a lot easier.

Chemical or organic sprays are unlikely to be effective against the adults.