Lilioceris lilii lilii (Scopoli, 1763)

Yoffe, Atai, Friedman, Ariel-Leib-Leonid & L., Abstract, 2020, Notes on the lily leaf beetles Lilioceris Reitter in Israel (Chrysomelidae: Criocerinae), Israel Journal of Entomology (Isr. J. Entomol.) 50 (2), pp. 39-45 : 44

Lilioceris lilii lilii (Scopoli, 1763)

Material examined: Israel: Upper Galilee : ' Akko [Acre, Galilee], xii.1924, O. Theodor (1 ex.); Tel Hay [Tel Chai], 18.v.1976, D. Simon (1 ex.). Note: All additional specimens of L. l. lilii listed by Lopatin et al. (2003) are either L. faldermanni or large red Crioceris sp .

Distribution: Eurasia, North Africa, invasive in North America (1940s) ( Berti & Rapilly 1976; Ernst 2005; BeZdĚk & Schmitt 2017). In Israel, it was found only on two occasions ( Fig. 8). Both specimens were collected 96 and 44 years ago, respectively, close to the northern border of Israel, which probably represents the southernmost points of their distribution in Western Asia.

Host plants: Larvae develop on Liliaceae : Fritillaria (4 spp.), Lilium (81 spp.), Cardiocrinum giganteum (Wallich) Makino , and Asparagaceae : Maianthemum canadanse Desf. , Convallaria majalis L.Adults attack a wider range of hosts ( Lesage 1983; Cox 2001; Haye & Kenis 2004; Ernst 2005; Salisbury 2003). The closest host record to Israel is from Greece: Lilium chalcedonicum , L. martagon ( Papadoulis & Tsagkarakis 2012) . The exact hosts in Israel are unknown, these may be Lilium candidum and/or Fritillaria persica .