What's eating my redbud leaves?

Bloomington, IN

I have several small redbud saplings (eastern redbud, I assume), only a few years old. Until this year they looked perfectly healthy. But now something is eating holes in the leaves, apparently making very clean, nearly circular cuts. Some leaves are more than half gone. The remaining portions of the leaves look healthy. I don't see any insects on the trees, or any other clues. Curiously, I also have a couple of full-grown redbuds, and their leaves are almost completely unaffected; whatever it is, it seems only to be attracted to the small saplings. Any ideas what this is?

Thumbnail by Quadrivium
Dublin, CA(Zone 9a)

Perfectly circular holes like that are typically leafcutter bees. They cut out circles of leaves to use for their nests. They're beneficial to have around, and are only active like this for a short time so I would just let them be.

Bloomington, IN

Thanks! I found some photos of leafcutter bees' handiwork online, and that looks like it exactly. Good to know!

Shrewsbury, NJ

GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM. I HAVE A REDBUD AS WELL. THE LEAVES, MOSTLY LOWER HAVE DEVELOPED A RUST COLOR SCAR ON PORTIONS OF THESE LEAVES. I THINK IT MIGHT BE ANTHRANOSE?? DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION?

Dublin, CA(Zone 9a)

I would suggest starting a new thread with your question, and I'd also suggest posting some pictures.

mid central, FL(Zone 9a)

i planted some redbud seedlings this spring and the leafcutter bees have really gone to town on them...but they'll live.

Fletcher, NC

I have a redbud sapling that is just over a year old barely 6-8 inches tall. It survived last winter and had nice healthy looking leaves on it this spring. Suddenly all the leaves are gone! I'm not sure if the dead leaves around it on the ground are its leaves that may have fallen off or from another of our many trees...or if something could have eaten and stripped them all. Any ideas??

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