[Arid_gardener] SHAMEL ASH, leafcutter bee

[Linda Drew]

Sounds like a leafcutter bee:
http://cals.arizona.edu/urbanipm/insects/bees/leafcutterbees.html
http://ucanr.org/delivers/impactview.cfm?impactnum=305

Usually, these bees do no real harm (just cosmetic). I have a redbud
tree favored by them, and the leaves look intricate and scalloped, but
seems to do no harm. Since our European honeybees are on the
decline (Africanized, mites, fungus, etc) these small native bees are
even more critical for pollination of many plants.

Linda Drew
Master Gardener

>From: "robert davis" <lavoncintibud at hotmail.com>
>To: Arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu
>Subject: [Arid_gardener] SHAMEL ASH
>Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 14:17:46 -0500
>
>Hello.
>
>I live in Arizona, Casa Grande, and my husband and I have a lovely shamel 
>ash.  Something is taking big chunks out of the leaves, last year was 
>really bad.  The leaves this year are lovely, but noticed big chunks again. 
>  This morning my husband and I saw a 'beelike' insect actually cutting the 
>leaves and flying away with it.  The insect had black and a lighter color 
>stripes on the body.  We were going to try and catch it, but it flew away 
>before we could find something to catch it with.  Please help!!  This tree 
>a beautiful and we'd like to rid it of this insect.  Appreciate any help 
>you give us.
>Thanks,
>Robert and LaVon Davis
>
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