Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What's wrong with my plant? > Deciduous > Basswood/Linden > Holes in leaves or parts of leaves missing
Basswood/Linden > Leaves > Holes in leaves/parts of leaves missing
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Cankerworms
Alsophila pometaria (fall) and Paleacrita vernata (spring)
- Larvae chew between the major veins at first, eventually chewing everything except midveins
- Defoliation typically light to moderate, although it can be severe
- Smooth-bodied, light green to brown, 2 inches long when fully grown; moves in characteristic looping motion
- Damage occurs late April/early May until June
- More information on Cankerworms
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Forest tent caterpillar
Malacosoma disstria
- Larvae chew entire sections of leaves, sometimes leaving some major veins; defoliation can be severe when populations are high
- Blue and black with characteristic footprint shaped white markings on top of body
- Damage occurs May and June
- More information on Forest tent caterpillar
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Linden looper
Erannis tiliaria
- Chews portions of leaves; defoliation typically is minor
- Smooth-bodied with reddish brown head, it is patterned black, gray, yellow, with a light colored underside; moves in characteristic looping motion; 1 ½ inch long
- Occurs May and June
- More information on Linden looper
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Whitemarked tussock moth
Orygia leucostigma
- Young larvae windowpane feed (i.e. feed on one layer of leaf tissue between veins) giving them a lacelike appearance
- Older larvae consume entire leaves except the midrib and large veins
- Caterpillars have a red-orange head with two sets of black tufts near the head; yellowish hairy body with distinct tufts of hair resembling a toothbrush on top of the body
- Full grown larvae are 1 ¼ inches long
- Damage by 2 generations, first from May to June and a second one from August to September
- More information on deer injury
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Japanese beetle
Popillia japonica
- Skeletonizes leaves, i.e. chews leaf tissue between the veins creating a lacelike appearance
- Attacks are common in sunny locations starting at the top of the plant and working down as they feed
- Adults are metallic green; bronze wings; white tufts of “hair” along their sides
- Beetles present as early as late June and are active through September
- More information on Japanese beetle
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Polyphemus caterpillar
Antheraea polyphemus
- Chews entire sections of leaves; defoliation typically is minor
- It is pale green with sparse long spines along top and sides of abdomen; grows up to 3 1/2 inches long
- Becomes a large, attractive moth
- Occurs in mid to late summer
- More information on Polyphemus caterpillar
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Cecropia caterpillar
Hyalophora cecropia
- Chews entire sections of leaves; defoliation typically is minor
- Light green body with double row of reddish orange knobs on thorax behind head; also series of smaller yellow and blue knobs on abdomen; grows up to 4 inches long
- Becomes a large, attractive moth
- Occurs mid to late summer
- More information on Cecropia caterpillar
