red liily beetle - soil damage

by Barbara
(Solihull,W Midlands)

My lilies, in pots, havebeeb badly attacked by red lily beetle. Should I get rid of the bulbs, and is it safe to re-use the compost?

Doug says that if you're controlling the beetle there's no reason to get rid of the bulbs.

And reusing the compost/soil is "iffy" - the eggs are laid on the leaves and the larvae are devouring your lily leaves. The adults overwinter in the soil. Now, if they pick your potted soil - you'll have to sterilize it or renew it. There's no way of telling other than by looking and sifting through your soils or simply baking them to kill off the overwintering pests. Or tossing the soil and starting fresh every spring.