• slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
Nearly-Perfect-Circle-Holes-in-Leaves-of-Plants-THUMB.jpg

Nearly Perfect Circle Holes in Leaves of Plants

My lilac is having problems. There are holes along the edges of the leaves that look like someone went through with a hole punch, they're all nearly perfect. I didn't see any little critters.

A helpful native pollinator is the culprit. Leaf cutter bees, essential for pollination of some of our native plants, remove pieces of the leaf to use in creating their nest. You most often see their damage on roses, occasionally on lilacs, green ash and Virginia creeper. The bees live in rotted wood and center of pithy plants like roses. Since they restrict their nesting to dead wood and just the pith of the roses they do not harm the health and vigor of our plants. So relax and enjoy the creative artwork.

Related

Upcoming
Events & Webinars

July 9, 2026
Ebert's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Ixonia, WI

July 11-12, 2026
Festa Italiana
Milwaukee, WI

August 6-16, 2026
Wisconsin State Fair
We Energies Energy Park, West Allis, WI

Sept. 3, 2026
FREE WEBINAR: 
Tree Planting and Care
Register here

Sept. 17, 2026
FREE WEBINAR:
Fall Landscape Care and Planting

Register here

WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS

MORE UPCOMING EVENT DETAILS 

Book an Appearance

Learn More

Sign up for Melinda's free newsletter for a chance to win 3 bags of Wild Valley Farms wool pellets, a water-holding soil amendment

ENTER NOW