Leaf cutter bee: Megachile anthracina
Symptoms of damage:
- Leaf cutter bees cause characteristic damage to the rose leaves
- Cutting neat circular or oval patches from the leaf margins.
- Cut bits of leaves – used for the construction nest cells.
Identification of the pest:
- Adult – hairy, medium sized dark insects
- The base of the abdomen tinged with red- brown colour.
- They build cells in crevices and cavities in hedges, dead wood etc.
Management:
- Insecticides are ineffective for preventing leaf cutting.
- Cover susceptible plants with cheesecloth or loose netting for preventing leaf injury damage
- Breeding sites should be eliminated
- Application of sawdust on the tunnel or thick-stemmed plants with hollowed opening
- A number of leafcutter bees in an area can be reduced if breeding sites are eliminated.
- Rotting wooden boards with sawdust pushed out of excavated tunnels
- To prevent leafcutter bees from tunnelling into rose canes, seal exposed pith as canes are pruned.
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal
