This bee seems to like Acer cappadocicum : I already noticed that last year, it's the only maple species I've spotted that on. I really don't mind, that means they're well and alive in my garden ;°) FR : Megachile rotundata — Wikipédia ENG : Megachile rotundata - Wikipedia Since I don't use pesticides, I also have "black" bees, the native ones, they gather around the pots that I've watered, or when the weather is very hot, in the bowls filled with water that I leave for the birds.
Hi Alain, we have these leaf cutter bees every few years in our garden, they never attack my maples, but they do love my Laurel hedge. The trouble with Laurel, is that if a leaf is cut or damaged it turns yellow and drops within a week to ten days. Hence a sparce hedge and 'hello neighbours', lol D
Hi Alain, does this look like the same? This is the lower green leaves on a crimson king..they have left the tougher red leaves completely alone
Yes, and I found other trees that were chewed by these bees. Here, they seem to prefer rather "leathery" leaves. Here's what I've just found on an Acer campbelli ssp. sinense : But as I said before, I don't use chemicals, or in the last resort. I prefer to have bees, butterflies, ladybirds, and other insects in my garden if they only feed on the flowers or the leaves and not on the wood. Most of them don't carry diseases, and if they do most of the time it's too late. Anyway, there are birds and even hedgehogs in my small garden, they will take good care of most pests ;-) I much prefer to keep biodiversity than using chemicals for a single crop, whether it's Japanese maples or other.
I agree entirely I would not use chemicals.. more biodiversity the better and very happy to see lots of spiders but not so much those lace weaver spiders...
I accidentally dug up a leaf-cutter bee cocoon a few years ago and was amazed at how intricately it was constructed. There were several overlapping layers of perfectly cut circles topped off with a smaller, circular cap. I find these bees have their favourite plants - my Prosartes smithii was in tatters by the time cocoon construction ended but I thought it was a small price to pay for having their services as pollinators.
