Insect Cutting-off Parts of Wisteria Leaves
Last post 02-07-2009 9:49 AM by Digger. 3 replies.
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02/07/2009 09:14 AM
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Hi All,
I'm new to the world of gardening, and recently bought a Wisteria for my garden. However an insect resembling a wasp keeps landing on the leaves, cutting off a crescent shaped piece, and flying off with it. I am losing greenery rapidly!
What's the best form of defense?
Thanks
Chris
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02/07/2009 09:29 AM
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- miranda
- Oxfordshire
- 17 Nov 2004
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2,976
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Sounds like a leafcutter bee, Chris, and it's collecting bits of leaf for its nest. They don't really do any harm and you're lucky to see one at work as we have few enough bees these days. If it bothers you, brush it away from your plant when you see it. http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0700/leafcutters.asp
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02/07/2009 09:31 AM
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- Pesty
- 24 Nov 2005
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94
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That’ll be a leaf cutting bee. There are several species of these solitary bees. They use the leaf sections to build cells which are filled with nectar/ pollen an eggs is laid and the grub develops – emerging as a bee next year. The cells are often found in dry compost (e.g. neglected pots) and look a little like cigar ends. The crescent shaped sections are used for the walls of the cells - they also cut almost circular pieces for the cap.
These are valuable pollinators and the damage they do to the plants is usually of no real consequence for the plant (even if almost every leaf is damaged). However if you really want to stop the damage then swot it. I usually leave them too it – I think there much more fascinating than plants! The speed at which they cut the sections is amazing (a few seconds per piece) and to see it then fly off with a leaf section twice the length of the bee just looks a bit bizarre.
'Trying is the first step to failure' H.J.Simpson
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02/07/2009 09:49 AM
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- Digger
- Northern UK
- 18 Jul 2005
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4,743
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I think you should leaf  them alone, the bees are nice, I have lots of different bees and they don't do any harm, what's a few nicks and cuts on the leaves going to do, it might look unsightly but you are luckt to have the bees in your garden, not everyone gets chosen to be host for theses bees.
digger 
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