"madgardener" expounded:

according to Ann who is in the regions of Mass near Boston herself, the
larvae are seriously yucky because of their habit of carrying their feces on
their backs, which is probably why birds won't pick them off. Personally
all that tells me is it's digested plant stuff, so I won't be grossed out.
But I also read the article when I looked it up that they are extremely
voracious. I just hope we haven't gotten them here yet. Makes me weary to
buy lilies that are potted up even! I heard they came over in BULBS!! How
the hell does one let slip bulbs, bare bulbs that have either orange red
eggs around them, or screaming red beetles?

From what I understand, they were *potted* bulbs. What the beetles do
is overwinter in the leaf litter. I remember early last spring I was
out there (it was dry last spring, not soggy, like this spring)
digging around my hostas and lilies and found the little creeps under
the leaves (this was before much had sprouted at all, so they weren't
doing any damage yet). They were slow, but alive, waiting for warmth
so they could start their pillaging again. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr......

--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
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