The adult beetles hibernate during winter. They can be found in sheltered places, such as woodpiles, bark crevices, cracks in wooden houses. As spring weather approaches with warmer temperatures, they emerge and begin feeding on elm leaves. They chew on leaves creating distinctive small round holes.
By mid-spring, they lay clusters of tiny yellow eggs on the underside of leaves. Depending on the ambient temperature, hatching occurs 1-2 weeks later. These larvae begin feeding on the leaves, causing the skeletonization mentioned earlier.
These larvae mature within 2-4 weeks. They then drop from the canopy or crawl down the trunk, pupating at the tree base. Adult beetles develop around 1-2 weeks later, and the cycle continues. In Melbourne and Victoria, there can be 2-3 generations of beetle per season. If you notice any of these signs on your elm tree, it is worth consulting with a professional
arborist to get a quote for elm leaf beetle treatment.
