Redbud – Circular Notches on Leaves
Q: Something is hurting my beloved redbud trees. I am declaring war on whatever is.
A: You are a lucky duck! The leaf notches are caused by leaf cutter bees, a wonderful pollinating insect.
The bees take pieces of leaves and stuff them into small holes or cracks they find outdoors and lay their eggs on the leaf pieces to feed their babies when they hatch.
The good news is that no lasting damage is done to the redbud trees. Damaged leaves do not drop from the tree and continue to feed the tree unabated.
Leaf cutter bees are very particular about the leaves they chew. I only see them on redbud trees and roses each spring.
The bees are not aggressive at all. If you ever see one chewing on leaf, get up close to admire their hard work.