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The basic problem with the winter moths is that they thrive in colder weather, so nothing short of sub freezing temps will have any effect.
The lily beetle infestation had been tracked back to a Cambridge florist / horticulturalist that had received a shipment of asian lillies.
I don't know exactly HOW they were released into the wild, but I do know how they got here, and that we are screwed because of it.
I used to grow asian tiger lillies from bulb, and for the first 4-5 years they did fantastic. Then the beetles came and killed them off one by one. I have one of the originals left, and I'll wait and see if it survived last years attacks. I am impressed by this lone survivor's height. It has been topping 6 feet for the past 3 years with over a half dozen VERY aromatic flowers.
The only reason this plant has lasted so long is because EVERY morning during the spring I go out and check for beetles. I kill all I find and destroy any eggs or hatched larvae.
The larvae are quite disgusting, as they cover themselves with their own feces, making them safe from predators. Really nasty and messy to kill.
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