Lilies are popular houseplants because of their beautiful flowers. They make great additions to any home, but they arenג€™t perfect. Unlike some other plants, lilies have some issues that can negatively impact their health and appearance. Some bugs like scale and mealybugs feed on lilies, while others such as spider mites will invade the plant and spread quickly. These bugs love to feed on lilies and cause damage by sucking the juices out of the plant. If you see any of the signs below or you notice your lily is becoming unkempt or yellow, it could be time to check for bugs. Below you can learn more about what bugs affect lilies so you can keep them healthy and beautiful throughout their lives.
How Do I Get Rid of Bugs on My Lilies?
To get rid of bugs like scale and mealybugs, you should remove infested leaves or stems. You can do this by soaking the plant in a bucket filled with water for about 15 minutes. After the plant has soaked, use a net to remove any bugs that are in the water. If your lily is being invaded by spider mites, check for other signs of infestation such as tiny white webs on the bottom of the pot. If you see these signs, you should spray your lily with a diluted pesticide to kill off any invading spiders.
Lilies are popular houseplants because of their beautiful flowers. They make great additions to any home, but they arenג€™t perfect. Unlike some other plants, lilies have some issues that can negatively impact their health and appearance. Some bugs like scale and mealybugs feed on lilies, while others such as spider mites will invade the plant and spread quickly. These bugs love to feed on lilies and cause damage by sucking the juices out of the plant. If you see any of the signs below or you notice your lily is becoming unkempt or yellow, it could be time to check for bugs. Below you can learn more about what bugs affect lilies so you can keep them healthy and beautiful throughout their lives.
What Do Lily Bugs Look Like?
Lily bugs can vary in color, but they are usually tan to gray in color. They have a round body with an oval-shaped head and can measure up to 1/8 of an inch long. In contrast, spider mites are tiny and usually donג€™t measure more than 3mm across.
Though lily bugs may seem harmless, these little pests can do quite a lot of damage to your lilies, especially if they build up over time. The signs below will help you identify whether your lilies are infested by lily bugs or not.
What Does Lily Beetle Damage Look Like?
Lily beetle damage will often start off with a small black spot on the leaves that becomes a yellow patch. As the lily beetle feeds on the plant, it will eat both the outer and inner layers of the leaves. This is why you can often see a ring of yellow around the patch and sometimes even patches of green in between the patches.
Spider mites are another common bug found on lilies. They will feed off of leaves, stems, and flowers as they suck out nutrients from their host. Spider mites are generally easier to spot because they have a large web in which they live and roam about to find food sources. Unfortunately, spider mite infestations can be difficult to get rid of so if your lilies have them, you may need to treat your entire garden or multiple plants at once.
Do Coffee Grounds Repel Lily Beetles?
Coffee grounds are a natural way to keep lilies healthy and prevent bugs from invading. Coffee grounds donג€™t just repel certain pests, they also provide nutrients for the plant. You can add coffee grounds to your pot before watering your plant so that you minimize any risk of bugs getting in. However, this doesnג€™t guarantee that you wonג€™t have problems with other bugs like mealybugs and scale. If you want to stay pest-free, itג€™s important to use insecticidal soap or neem oil on your plants often.
