If you spray too early or too late, the pesticide will not reach the leaf miner larva and will not kill the leaf miner flies. It is the only species in the genus Plectrodera. In heavy infestations tender terminals may be defoliated. Cottonwood leaf beetle: these small pests hibernate under the bark of the young cottonwood tree in the winter and come out in the spring. The cottonwood leaf beetle feeds primarily on cottonwood, but will attack other species of poplar and willows. Treat the tree with organic neem oil to get rid of this beetle. They prefer cottonwood… can help control the larvae, and insecticides like Permethrin SFR can be used to prevent the adults from laying eggs. Cottonwood leaf beetle adults and larva. It is one of the largest insects in North America, with lengths reaching 40 millimetres (1.6 in) and widths, 12 mm (0.47 in). The larvae are black and have white spots. Adult beetles can be found on and around host plants during the summer. I recently removed a cottonwood tree. Larvae and adults feed on willow and poplar, with cottonwood being the most preferred. Sprouts develop from the roots. Birds sometimes feed on the larvae and pupae, although they usually prefer other insects. My comment to Sara, for the homeowner, was: I think it is cottonwood. Leaf Beetles. Adult feeding causes irregular shot holes. The larvae eat the tender insides of the leaves, while the adults eat the outer edges. This is characteristic of cottonwood in an area where a cottonwood tree has been cut down. Cottonwood Borer, (Plectrodera scalator Fabricius) is found in the eastern US, New York. Suckers from nearby cottonwood tree Cottonwood tree suckers removed from lawn Closeup of cottonwood tree suckers removed from lawn. The larvae is more destructive than the adult, so you may not need to do anything if there are only a few. Treatment is rarely necessary. If so, I think it is a Cottonwood Leaf Beetle larvae. The trick to this method of how to kill leaf miners is to spray at right time. Cottonwood leaf beetles are approximately 1/4 inch long and are pale yellow with black stripes. It feeds on the foliage and has the ability to strip the tree bare if you don’t intervene. Cottonwood Borer. Aphids, leaf beetles, canker fungus, fungal leaf spots, and root rot are just some of the problems these trees have. The cottonwood borer (Plectrodera scalator) is a species of longhorn beetle found in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains that feeds on cottonwood trees. I have tried mowing and pulling them, but there are tooo many. Larvae skeletonize leaves between the leaf veins. Although several beetle species like to feed on willow foliage, the cottonwood leaf beetle (Chrysomela scripta) usually causes the worst damage. Now there are trees sprouting alllllll over the yard. Cottonwood Leaf Beetle. 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