Q: What’s wrong with my poplar tree? I just noticed this damage covering my leaves.

A: It’s damage from the poplar weevil, a small “snout beetle” that feeds on poplar and sassafras leaves. The population varies greatly from year to year. It has been ten years since I noticed a heavy infestation.

Since poplar trees are so big, there is little you can do to control this weevil. Fortunately, natural predators and weather control it effectively. Your tree won’t be permanently damaged.

Yellow Poplar Weevil