"Trevor wrote in message

a) has anyone found the hand picking solution to work in the short to
medium term, as I don't fancy squishing
every 7 days, every growing season for the rest of my life.

It works but you have to be vigilant and give the plants a quick once over
every couple of days, especially at the start of the season. Get them before
they breed. I've seen Blue Tits and Wrens picking things off the lilies in
our garden so perhaps they help too.


b) What's the mildest chemical treatment that you good people have found
to
work?

I've used "Polysect" (because I had some made up going spare) and it seemed
to work on the lavae with no more showing all season. My next door neighbour
uses something else so there are a number of chemicals that work.


c) Has anyone from the group found another solution to Red Lily Beetle.

Well I haven't. Perhaps the scientists could invent a pheremone trap or
something.

BTW after reading up, I'm out at first light(ok mid-morning) to look for
eggs under the leaves and to remove the top 2" of soil to see what
emerges.

Some lilies are stem rooted so go careful with moving soil about.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.