Michigan State University researchers are tracking the beetle’s expansion and urge gardeners statewide to report sightings, especially outside Southeast Michigan, to the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network.
The beetle, first detected in Michigan in 2016, targets lilies and fritillaries, with each adult laying up to 450 eggs. Scientists are evaluating biological controls, including parasitoid insects used successfully on the East Coast.
With no major natural predators in North America, gardeners must rely on hand-picking and insecticides for control. The beetle’s spread is linked to international plant bulb movement, threatening ornamental and some food plants.
Beyond fighting beetles, how can Michigan prevent the next invasive species from arriving through trade?
How has public reporting of the lily leaf beetle actually changed MSU's control strategy?
As the scarlet beetle spreads, which resistant lily varieties should gardeners plant for 2027?
Ten years after its Michigan debut, when will biocontrol finally stop the lily leaf beetle?
Is the fight against the lily leaf beetle diverting funds from more critical invasive species threats?
Could the wasps used for biocontrol create a new ecological problem in Michigan?