I was just thinking today that the foliage of Fritillaria meleagris doesn't really seem to offer much protection as compared to the lily shoots that are pretty dense with foliage this time of year. I just have a hard time to see why the lily beetles would go for Fritillaria meleagris over lilies, given a choice. In addition they bloom rather early and most plants are most nutritious right up to bloom, so could loose its appeal to lily beetles quickly.
I captured three more lily beetles on the Martagons today. I don't think this necessarily contradicts that Martagon lilies are less attractive to beetles, rather I think these might have flown in from some neighbors and the Martagons are simply the first food source the beetle encounters in the garden here. All other beetles has been on the OT lilies that had an infestation last year and I know I missed a few of them, so these are "my own" beetles emerging in the warm weather we are having now. They just start to chew on what's closest to them as they wake up. Fritillaria imperialis doesn't work as a capture crop in this case as the beetles are already where they are happy.
