I started this thread as I saw my first Japanese Beetle of the year. I've used Neem Oil and Sevin, but I try to go organic as much as I possibly can.

Deer are my other pain! I rotate Plantskydd with other things like Ropel and Liquid Fence. I also read somewhere if you leave a talk radio station (via radio) on overnight that that will spook them, haven't tried that yet. Then there's the tried old scarecrow.

In any case, those are my struggles. I'm hoping we can collect some information here that will be useful to each other.

I buy cheap store brand regular (not anti bacterial) dish soap and use about a tsp in a spray bottle (1 qt). The insects instantly lose their ability to breath. I also used it on an aphid infestation on strelitzia seedlings in the house. Then I just rinse it off after about half an hour.

I also have some neem oil which I am about to try on thrips. Had to get my magnifying glass out to read the microscopic instructions. Haven't actually done that yet though.

I am getting rid of all the thrip magnets in my garden to reduce the temptations. They particularly like Japanese irises but I'm not getting rid of those. So far I am culling out all of the Dutch irises (except Tiger Eye) and all gladiolas. They really seem to go after those plants that have leaves that more or less stay closed around the stalks. My theory, anyway.

my worst pest is whoever is doing this (have separate thread going in the disease forum)

help!

Maybe some kind of weavel?

I've been watching, and the only thing I've ever caught actually on a bud was this:

I should add earwigs to my list. They can do some serious damage. And sometimes I just spray that Neem and soap mixture hoping to get rid of any eggs from any pest that happen to be around. I hate those nasty bugs!

Laura, since your first post, I've been looking on the internet to see what I could figure out. The only time I ever had the circular holes in anything like you have it turned out to be a spider. That was in siberian irises.

I did read on the internet where larvae of some beetles make circular holes, and that may be what that thing is you're picturing.

I just don't know, and I think we need to know. Could you maybe contact one of the lily growers and see what they might think is doing it?

Polly, that's a good idea!

We used to have terrible Jap. Beetles problems here. Often when you approached a flower, clouds of them would fly up...just disgusting. For the last 3 yeas though, we have barely seen them at all. Only thing that I can attribute that to is the addition of the 4 o'clocks that I got from mamajack. I've read since that they attract and kill them.

Tracey, do earwigs climb up stems or just stay at ground level?

It seems they like to crawl right into the bud. When the bud is closed, they make holes, when the bud is open they congregate in the center of the flower and are hardly visible. The wetter the weather, the more problem they tend to be. I'll see if I can get a picture...unfortunately it should be no problem

You know, I've never noticed them in my lilies. They REALLY like dahlias though. Lots of places for them to hide in dahlias.

Maybe the ones that you have in the NW are third cousins to mine, mine only want the lilies!

Could earwigs be my problem (above)?

Maybe. They are everywhere this year.

Yuck. They love clematis too, don't they? I've got loads of clems but haven't noticed anything nasty going on with them. hmmm

My worst problem is with rabbits. This year is especially bad ~ even with Plantskydd and Repels-All.

How do I cope?

Note to self....don't appear small and furry at Moby's or you're a gonner.

*Hopping away quietly...*

I have earwigs here too, but I've never seen them crawl up anything. Although, I do have a mysterious something nibbling on just everything this year...