Recognise lily beetle larvae

27th June 2022

Lily beetle larvae are yellowish-white with a black head, but you may not recognise them easily as they deposit their excrement on their backs as a disguise against predators - and a sunscreen. The larva starts feeding on the underside of the leaf then moves on around the plant to devastate the foliage until it is ready to burrow into the soil and pupate. This takes about three weeks before the adults emerge, feed and lay more eggs....