Could be borers. They are very distructive.

Rhododendron Borer, Synanthedon rhododendri: The adults of this pest are day-flying moths that resemble wasps or yellow jackets. They are approximately 1/4-inch long, making them the smallest clear-wing borer. The wings are mostly clear, and the body is black with three yellow abdominal bands. Adults appear in late-May into June and females lay eggs on the twigs. Upon hatching, the small grub-like caterpillars, with white bodies and dark heads, bore into the inner bark, and later the sapwood, of the main stems and branches. This pest overwinters in the burrows as a inch long mature larva. There is one generation per year. The boring activities of the larvae cause wilted, off-color foliage, reduced growth and dead branches. Prune and destroy wilting branches in late summer or early spring. I know the timing is wrong, bit it is also wrong for the caterpillar and the opening of deciduous azaleas. You must be in a southern climate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rhododendron and Azalea Troubleshooting

I hate those insects. I planted two trees four years ago in the fall and they attacked one of them. Luckily (?), they bore high on the main trunk and in lateral branches above that. The tree did recover but looked dead near the top of the canopy in spring.

If not sure this is what you have, take a sample in a sealed plastic bag to a nursery or Agriculture Extension Service to get confirmation. Click {{gwi:393039}} to see a picture of the larvae and the damage caused. Click {{gwi:393041}} to see a picture of the adult.

If this is it, you need to take action quickly, Infestations are usually not detected until the damage is evident (what happened to me) months later.

Good luck,
Luis

Thanks.
I do not think this insect looked like the one pictured. Its body was much more rounded, the wings held over one another, not spread.

If the insect I saw was a pest, would it have been laying eggs or eating the leaves? The caterpillars of 2 weeks ago were def eating the tender parts of the tough leaves...not leaving exactly skeletonized, nor munched like b v weevils.

I will catch it if I see it again. Good idea

Any other thoughts?
marie

There are some leaves that are discolored and wilted, but the damage is very limited.

Not necessarily, Marie. Many beneficial insects also lay eggs. Not too many beneficials will eat leaves though.

If the caterpillars left, they could have matured into adults and that could be what is flying around the buds. The problem is that these adults then leave eggs so second generation(s) will probably be born before fall. No telling how quick eggs deposited now will hatch if you do not know exactly what species the insect/caterpillar is so, either take samples somewhere for analysis or see if the caterpillars re-appear.

If they re-appear then the population could grow quickly. My philosophy: seeing them once is ok; seeing them again would trigger me to release Bt. I also release beneficial insects in late March to early April to help with my usual insects in Spring (lacebugs and aphids). Since you are further north, you may want to release those later, like late April or even early May. I obtain mine from Home Depot, some local nurseries and definitely in all organic nurseries.

Regarding discolored/wilted leaves, I generally ignore the problem when the damage is, as you stated, limited. But I do keep an eye on it by putting some marker flags in the vicinity of plants (the kind that the phone companies leaves in the ground prior to digging). I have green, yellow and red flags. They serve to remind me to look for "something" and the color indicates how the serious the problem is to me.

Wilting may indicate the need for more water because the plant is not getting enough or summer is approaching. In this case, more water is called for. Or wilting may mean that the weather has been unusually windy and the plant has been unable to quickly replenish the water lost by transpiration with water absorbed thru the roots. At worst, you may need to transplant to a less windy location but, most times, with a little extra water, the problem goes away.

Discolored leaves can be a symptom of quite a few things as well as of the plant naturally shedding old leaves. You need to look for additional symptoms. Rhodyman's website might help.

As a staring point, check for soil moisture issues (too wet or dry?) and observe how the leaves are getting discolored (from the edges, randomly or throughout), is there a pattern (does it occur only on new leaves, from the top of the plant downwards), are the leaf veins also affected, from what color to what color do the leaves change, do you see specks or spots, do you notice anything in the underside that should not be there, check the main trunk and large branches for winter injury (bark split)... things like that.

Luis