desertflower
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Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Location: ARIZONA (Map)
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:14 pm Post subject: Holes in my water lillies... |
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Fellow water gardeners... My water lillies are starting to get holes in the middle of the leaves. They look like they are just rotting in the center. Not all of them, just some. Pond is in a shaded area with sun in the morning. There are a few gold fish in the pond. I just started the plants this year and they are spreading nicely and look healthy except for this. If a picture would help I can get one. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks
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eileen
Moderator & Resident Taxonomist
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Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Location: Scotland (Map)
Posts: 10460
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| Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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Oh dear it sounds as though you have a problem with
Waterlily beetle (Galerucella nymphaeae.)
The adult beetles overwinter in sheltered places in the garden and emerge to lay clusters of eggs on the upper surface of lily leaves in May-June. The larvae grow up to around 9mm long and they are black with a pale yellow underbelly.
They pupate on top of the lily pads.
The beetles are yellowish brown and 6-8mm long. (There is a second batch of larvae that will appear during August to early September.)
The adult beetles are what will be doing damage to the lilies themselves as the larvae only eat the leaves.
Controlling these pests is quite difficult as pesticides can't be used on plants growing in or adjacent to ponds because of the danger to fish, frogs, toads and other pond wildlife.
Hand removal of larvae, pupae and adults is feasible but only on small ponds. On large ponds the damage often has to be just put up with.
The beetles can be dislodged from the foliage by a jet of water and some of the larvae and beetles may be eaten by fish. I use my garden hose and sweep it over the flowers and leaves about once a week. The frogs, toads, snails and water beetles seem to love 'em when they fall into the water!!!! 
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desertflower
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Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Location: ARIZONA (Map)
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks...will check the leaves closer.
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desertflower
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Location: ARIZONA (Map)
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| Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:54 am Post subject: |
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OK Checked the leaves, under also. No sign of any kind of critters. I did notice that some had dark brown spots on them that hadn't made hole yet. I think it is just rotting. Maybe the balance of something is off.
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eileen
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| Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:50 am Post subject: |
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I have that brown spotting sometimes too and it seems to be burn marks here. Sometimes, not nearly enough I may add  , here in Scotland we get very hot sunshine after rain and the petals get scorched. I've never seen the marks turn into holes though as my waterlily flowers only last two to three days at most.
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GardenNovice
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Joined: 08 Aug 2007
Location: Nottingham
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:43 pm Post subject: me too AND water cover vanishing! |
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Desertflower - we have the same problem. We have had our pond (no fish - just a lot of frogs & newts  ) for about 4-5 years, and we built it from scratch. I have been brilliants with the lillies growing strongly with 10-12inch leaves and regular flowers. It also has some "water cover" plants (not sure what they are called though), that have been so vigorous over the years, we need to clear half of it out about twice a summer. The water is lovely and clear and it has a waterfall and fountain. But over the last couple of weeks, massive holes have appeared in the lillies, others have just gone brown, but some are fine. Okay - sounds like Desertflower's problem. But also, the water cover has almost vanished in two weeks  !!
Anyone with the slightest idea what might be happening to our previously perfect pond  ? Sorry I can't give more details at the moment.
Thanks
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eileen
Moderator & Resident Taxonomist
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Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Location: Scotland (Map)
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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Do either of you have frogs or toads in your ponds? I was wondering if the tadpoles were maybe responsible for the holes. I know they eat my oxygenating and marginal plants. I still have a feeling that the holes are caused by some kind of bug though - maybe they feed at night?
I have noticed a lot of bee activity around the pond this year so maybe it could be leafcutter bees doing the damage.
My poor old brain can't think of anything else at the moment but I'll keep thinking and looking up my books for you both.
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GardenNovice
Just Arrived
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Location: Nottingham
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks eileen. We have lots of frogs & newts, and gets lots of spawn every year. But this hasn't happened before. I'll have a closer look when I get home tonight to see if I can give you any more clues.
Thanks again.
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desertflower
On The Way Up
Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Location: ARIZONA (Map)
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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no frogs here. Before they are holes they are jsut dark brown spots. When the holes appear the still have dark brown edges around the holes. I do have a lot of cutter bees around as they love my rose bushes but it is just strange how the spots are appearing. I have other water lillies in another trough that have nothing wrong with them. That is why I was thinking something with the water in this pond was causing them to rot. Need to empty the whole thing but don't feel well enough to do it right now.
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