Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
"StsAlive" wrote in message
...
Who is he

It's a red lily beetle - (Lilioceris lilii).
It eats things particularly lilies and things that look like lilies such
as Cardiocrinum. Real Batards, but very pretty.

this is a complete tangent but do you know anything about
Cardiocrinums?
I have been growing them in small pots for years (because of 2 house
moves)
from one batch of seed from a plant sale and now have a few planted
out.
They get murdered by snails and slugs but a couple seem ready to flower
this year.
Can I then collect more seed or collect bulblets?


Why low on foliag
It has not come out yet:-)

Spiders for the lovers

That is a garden spider (Araneus diadematus or related).

Will it eat lily beetles

If they fly into its web it might but the beetles are probably red for
a reason (e.g. they taste dire).


http://www.daj.fseltd.btinternet.co.uk/RedBeetle.htm

dj


What I don't know about Cardiocrinums could be written on the entire storage
space of Google:-)
Three bubs planted about four years ago. One bulb was given the big
hole/dead cow underneath treatment

that had me splashing coffee all over me keyboard; visions of digger
and full size Hereford bull being pushed into hole.


(dead bird)by which time the other two
were just stuck in.
Each year I get a superb display of leaves on all three plants but I am
reliably informed that the one that I pampered will flower this year and
then die. I have been told to dig up the plant and pot on the small bulbs.
They are worth growing just for the leaves and as a lure for that bloody
beetle.
Hoping someone else will give addition advice to us both.

My problem is they were pot bound for years (house moves).
Despite this the bulbs still beefed up.
I finally maged to plant all of mine into the ground (half last year
and the rest 1 month ago).
They get massacred by slugs and snails and this year was so cold they
just sat there being eaten, unable to grow out of reach.
I saved some by aluminium sulphate powder (slug deterrent).
One of them is now growing tall and may flower I suppose and has a tiny
side shoot at the base which may
be a small bulb. They are supposed to be outrageously handsome/nice
smelling when they flower.
I have nursed them through 2 house moves from seeds 8 years ago and
would like to see them do well but it is a rigmarole. Maybe the
bulblets will settle in if I plant them after flowering.