Can you post photos of the damage? Failing photos, can you describe it more clearly? If it is small, semi-circular bits cut out of the edges, it's leaf cutter bees. If it's irregular holes in the middle of the leaf, it's probably one of several types of wasp or fly that also line their nests with bits of leaf for the larva to eat. Mostly, those cause cosmetic damage, and are harmless. Photos or a full description will help decide if it is actually nothing to worry about or time to hit panic stations!!!

praying mantis eats BUGS... its a predator.. and totally beneficial to your garden ... google should have told you that ... [momma is even known to eat daddy .. whats that all about????] you should start your own post.. in any appropriate forum .. as your questions cover many different plants ... as to the apple... if tiny ... under a foot or two.. it should have remained potted ... in proper planting media for a tree .... is this from seed from an apple you ate???? ... if so .. genetics tells us.. you might not end up with a good eating apple .... [hint, hint .. research that] or extremely protected ... if in mother earth .... i would have used a rose cone without a top for a year or two ... rake the soil around the plant.. in the evening.. and see if you can see any tracks in the morning ... think rabbit.. or droppings ... most bugs can not strip a plant bare overnight.. you would see chew marks on parts of leaves remaining ... so i am thinking something bigger ... squirrels ... tend to dig up young plants.. trying to look for whatever you hid under the soil.. idiots.. lol ... rather than eating the plant .... but you never know.. they are insane ... start your own post.. and add a pic.. if you want more than guessing ...and i am telling you to encourage you to start and join a new conversation... not chiding you for throwing this at the end of some very old post ... live an learn.. and we like to teach... so go for it... good luck ken

Where in z6 are you? Here in St. Louis I had leaf-roller caterpillars on quite a few of my citrus trees when I brought them in for the winter. The caterpillars eat the citrus leaves. You will have to look pretty hard to find them - some will blend in very well and can be hard to spot. Probably the best way to be sure is to look for rolled up leaves on the tree. Open them up and check for a silk webbing cocoon. I didn't even end up finding the caterpillars on the citrus trees (I did spot the damage) - I found them eating the buds of my roses *glare* Here are a few links: http://www.mobot.org/GARDENINGHELP/PLANTFINDER/IPM.asp?code=228&group=24&level=c http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/image.asp?image=Pest1020.jpg The colors can vary and etc. I found some green ones and some brown ones.

I'm now watching a number of "how to kill voles" type YouTubes and they are actually very instructive. For one, they actually show what a vole hole looks like very clearly. Still photographs are never quite as clear, but with these videos, I am certain that these are voles. The types of holes have really started appearing over the past year. I probably had two holes a couple years ago, but now I have probably 20 that I can find easily. I thought they were chipmonk holes and don't mind them. My plan is to create a shady tree yard rather than a lawn anyway... so not too concerned about irregularities in the lawn. (mistake?) So I have identified the holes in the yard, but these holes are not the worry. I am not completely certain that it is the voles that are doing damage to the young tree roots... only that they are responsible for the harmless holes in the yard. Nevertheless, I will assume they are the guilty party. The youtube also shows mole hills, and I see no evidence of moles in the area. So voles *are* well known to get under young trees like this? (just trying to be clear) I mean, chipmonks like to dig, too.... so I guess I can't rule them out for churning through those roots. For now, I'll assume the voles are the problem. Those yard holes have become common only over the past year or so... and the tree damage has become common during this same time. It looks like the common method is to use peanut butter and a mouse trap type of method. Hmmm, not very exotic, but I like it compared to poison.