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Red Banana Palm Leaves Full of Holes? Slugs or Leafcutter Bees—Here's How to Tell

One of two red banana palms (planted 3 months ago in PCB, FL) has holes in new leaves and is half the size of its neighbor. Owner wants pest ID and chemical/biological solutions.

Identify by Hole Pattern

Symmetrical, round/oval holes: Leafcutter bees (beneficial pollinators).
Irregular, ragged holes: Slugs (nocturnal feeders).

Solutions

Slugs: Scatter slug bait (iron phosphate) around base. They feed at night, hide in soil by day. Bait is safe for pets/wildlife.

Leafcutter bees: No control needed—they're valuable pollinators. Damage is cosmetic and temporary.

Why One Plant?

Microhabitat differences (moisture, mulch, nearby debris) make one plant more attractive to slugs. The healthier plant may simply be more vigorous.

Tropical Plants: Managing a Tall Indoor Palm: Repotting vs. Pruning; Storm-Damaged Queen Palm: Assessing Root Damage; Fallen Queen Palm Had Ganoderma: Remove Roots/Soil, Monitor Others; Adonidia Palm Yellowing Base: Repotting or Division Needed; Ponytail Palm Freeze Recovery: Managing Multiple Shoots; Reviving a Freeze-Damaged Red Banana: Cutting Back to the Corm; Wrinkled Leaves on Mature Banana Palms: A Puzzling Symptom; Dog-Damaged Red Banana: Cut Below Wound for Regrowth; Red Banana Plant Growing Strange Bud 4 Feet Up? It's an Inflorescence—Fruit Will Form, Then Plant Dies; Black Dots on High-Rise Petunias: Caterpillars or Flea Beetles?

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