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paxwax 18-10-2003 12:02 PM

Leaf cutting bee.
 
I've got a small tree, about 2 meters high, in a pot. It has been getting
circular chunks, (4-6mm in diameter), cut out of its leaves, over the last 6
months. It is mid spring here, sub-tropical and coastal. I have not seen any
insects at work, but have heard that they do this sort of thing.

The tree is getting cut up pretty bad, almost to the point it is starting to
look unwell.

Any ideas would be welcome.

Cheers Pax



Don Smith 18-10-2003 11:42 PM

Leaf cutting bee.
 
Commonly known as the saw-fly. Its grubs gather in big clusters on the
trees and are sometimes called "spitfires".
The grubs are black and ugly and have an orange tip. During the day the
group breaks up to feed but keep in contact with one another by tapping the
orange hard end on the branch.
Witt



Chookie 20-10-2003 10:02 AM

Leaf cutting bee.
 
In article ,
"Don Smith" wrote:

Commonly known as the saw-fly. Its grubs gather in big clusters on the
trees and are sometimes called "spitfires".


Really? IME spitfires are very obvious and tend to defoliate rather than cut
circles. I thought the leaf-cutting bee was a solitary native bee that used
the leaves for its nest. I would move a few other plants to the same area in
the hope that the bee will move on to them.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc

Wanda 20-10-2003 11:02 AM

Leaf cutting bee.
 
I thought the same. I had a colony of the things living in various holes in
a retaining wall at my last place. I think they were also called Australian
Blue Bee?

"Chookie" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Don Smith" wrote:

Commonly known as the saw-fly. Its grubs gather in big clusters on the
trees and are sometimes called "spitfires".


Really? IME spitfires are very obvious and tend to defoliate rather than

cut
circles. I thought the leaf-cutting bee was a solitary native bee that

used
the leaves for its nest. I would move a few other plants to the same area

in
the hope that the bee will move on to them.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the

astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider

one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc




Jock 21-10-2003 02:22 PM

Leaf cutting bee.
 
Spitfires are eucalypt feeders,
http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/macleay/larvae/faqs/spit.html

the leafcutter bee is not
http://www.zeta.org.au/~anbrc/ab09.html

Have a read.
Jock



paxwax1 25-10-2003 04:02 AM

Leaf cutting bee.
 
Thanks all.

I have also found info on 'introduced' leafcutting bees:
http://www.ento.csiro.au/research/pe...gaheadbees.pdf
http://birding.about.com/library/blb...le&terms=%2BBe
nefits%2B%2Bof%2B%2Btrees

Native:
http://faunanet.gov.au/wos/factfile.cfm?Fact_ID=242
http://www.floraforfauna.com/downloa...ative_Bees.pdf

Cheers Pax

"Jock" wrote in message
...
Spitfires are eucalypt feeders,
http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/macleay/larvae/faqs/spit.html

the leafcutter bee is not
http://www.zeta.org.au/~anbrc/ab09.html

Have a read.
Jock






paxwax1 25-10-2003 04:02 AM

Leaf cutting bee.
 
Thanks to all.
I found a few answers too.
http://www.ento.csiro.au/research/pe..._research.html
http://www.floraforfauna.com/downloa...ative_Bees.pdf
http://faunanet.gov.au/wos/factfile.cfm?Fact_ID=242

Cheers Pax

"Wanda" wrote in message
...
I thought the same. I had a colony of the things living in various holes

in
a retaining wall at my last place. I think they were also called

Australian
Blue Bee?

"Chookie" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Don Smith" wrote:

Commonly known as the saw-fly. Its grubs gather in big clusters on

the
trees and are sometimes called "spitfires".


Really? IME spitfires are very obvious and tend to defoliate rather

than
cut
circles. I thought the leaf-cutting bee was a solitary native bee that

used
the leaves for its nest. I would move a few other plants to the same

area
in
the hope that the bee will move on to them.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the

astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a

stupider
one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc








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