Hello Trillium:
I have successfully battled this little beast for many years, but noticed that since this warm spell, they were out in large numbers earlier than usual. I have caught a couple pairs mating!!! I believe thay can be found anywhere in our zone. But tell your parents: in the early spring, just when the nibs of the lilies are coming out, spray them and the surrounding soil with a 10% solution of ammonia. It won't hurt the plants, but it seems to kill off some of the eggs, which lay dormant in the soil. I enjoy picking them off and squishing them. Other people flick them into a bowl of soapy water. You must watch for the underside of the leaves in mid-summer when they lay their eggs. It's a black yukky substance, and sometimes you can see the little red caterpillars inside. I just pull my hand along the plant and get it all off. Unfortunately, they have no predators, and you have to deal with them that way or they'll completely strip your lilies. They especially like Asiatics - they don't attack my orientals. Good luck!!

Hmmm.. how fortunate that I just popped on here to see if any one knew what these dazzling red beetles were, and lo and behold.. the ONE stargazer lily that the squirrels left me is infested with..... darn Japanese Red Lily Beetle.

Thinking I'll just feed the stargazer to the squirrels and be done with it. As if the snow tonight wasn't enough bad news! Worried about hubby's oriental lillies he just planted though. Northerner-on, you say yours aren't affected.. whewwww lol!