Be you a ladybug, or be you a lily beetle?

Everybody knows what a ladybug looks like. Red carapace, black spots. They are a great addition to the garden, chowing down on aphids. Not so many know what a lily beetle looks like. The adults have a bright red carapace as well, but no spots. The larva form look like little slugs are are disgusting, doing tremendous damage to lilies. The adults are no slouch in the damage department.

We noticed the lily beetles last year, and struggled all year long with them. This year we got onto them early, and have been killing them on sight. They're tough little things, you have to press quite hard to hear and feel them go crunch. It's very satisfying. I don't think I've killed any ladybugs along the way. They don't seem to like tea tree oil, so I've been spraying the lilies with a dilute solution of it almost every day.

Some gardeners have had to give up on having lilies entirely, which is sad. We love lilies, and are willing to struggle to keep them. You may confidently look forward to many photos of lilies a bit later in the year. So far they are all small, but growing fast. No buds yet.

More garden photos for you.

In other news, BRBE and I rand down at the south end of Fish Creek, south of 22X and on the west side of the river, then up almost to the big bridge over the Bow near the treatment plant. 12 K, 1:33 for a 7:45 pace overall. We stopped for a bio break just after 8 K, and I never really got back in the groove. At 10 K my hip flexors were talking to me so I turned around, and 12 K was close to the car. Michelle's plan had her running a few minutes more so I stretched, walked, and hung out in the shade watching all the activity.

Before and after the run we tried to visit the owls, but they weren't home. It was a lovely day for a run! Sunny and warm but not too hot, with a nice breeze off the river. Pity every run couldn't be like this, but then we'd get soft and spoiled.