A female scarlet lily beetle can lay up to 450 eggs during a single season, depositing them in groups of about twelve on the underside of leaves. She lines the red-orange to brown eggs in narrow, irregular rows along the leaf midrib, which helps keep them hidden from predators. When preferred hosts such as Lilium or Fritillaria are scarce, the beetle lays fewer eggs and the chances of egg and larval survival drop.
Lily leaf beetle larvae stay on their host plant for as long as 24 days, feeding almost continuously throughout this period. They begin their meal hidden beneath a leaf, then work their way up the stem, which is the stage that causes the greatest damage to the plant. Their preferred feeding spots are the underside of leaves and the node where leaf meets stem, allowing them to consume vital tissue while remaining concealed.
When an adult scarlet lily beetle senses danger it freezes, folds its legs and antennae close to its body and drops to the ground, exposing its black underside to blend with the soil. This thanatosis behaviour makes the beetle harder for visual predators to spot, increasing its chance of escape. If it cannot flee, the beetle can also produce a squeaking sound by rubbing two body parts together, a stridulation that may startle attackers such as birds or insects.
If it cannot flee, the beetle can produce a squeaking sound by rubbing two body parts together. The sudden noise may startle the attacker, buying the beetle a chance to escape.
The beetle was first recorded in Montreal, then spread across Canada and reached Massachusetts by 1992. By 2012 it had colonised all six New England states, plus New York and Washington.
Sources
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As the sun casts its warm glow upon the lush vegetation, the lily leaf beetle emerges, its vibrant red and black hues glistening like polished jewels as it navigates the delicate dance of life. With an air of quiet purpose, it moves through the world, its slender legs carrying it effortlessly across the intricate network of leaf veins and petals, leaving in its wake a trail of carefully crafted holes and scars that bear testament to its industrious nature. In this fleeting moment, the lily leaf beetle is a master of its domain, a tiny, unassuming monarch reigning supreme over the subtle beauty of the botanical world.
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