Something's attacking a privet hedge

misty-mitts

My neighbour has asked for help in connnection with his pride and joy - a long-established, well clipped privet hedge. Something is eating the leaves, leaving scalloped edges to them, but there are no holes in the middle of the leaves. There are no signs of caterpillars (or their frass) or beetles on the hedge, and it is definitely not leaf miner or thrips damage.

One side of the hedge still appears perfectly healthy, but on the other side one plant appears to have a patch of dying growth low down on it. I'm not sure if this is related to the leaf problem or not, as there is a plant growing near to the hedge at this point, so it might be due to lack of light or space or competition from this other plant.

Please has anyone got any ideas as to what could be causing this, and what he should do?

Many thanks.

rhiwfield

I'm guessing here but could it be leaf cutter bees? LINK

misty-mitts

Hmm, it looks very much like that, but also like the vine weevil damage, which is what I'd wondered about, only I didn't know they went for privet.

Thanks very much for drawing my attention to that - I'd spent a while googling, but couldn't come up with such a clear comparison and info.

foxgloves

I'd also say leaf-cutter bees. I quite like them actually, as we have a bee box and you can see them making little tubes with bits of leaves and sealing themselves up inside. However, I was happier when they were only chopping up an old rose which never really did much. This year, they've ignored the rose and cut up my rather nice witch hazel! I don't think there's barely a leaf on it which hasn't had a neat little half moon cut out of it. I really like bees though so it's hard to feel too cross with them......tho' wish they'd stuck to the old tatty rose!