Those plants are Japanese Beetle magnets, so that would be my first guess. Visit the plant at various times of day (dawn and dusk being key) and see what you can see.

If it is Japanese Beetles all you can do is control the grubs in your lawn (they are the larval form) and hope your neighbors do the same.

Never, never ever use a pesticide before you have gotten an accurate identification of the pest!!
That is inappropriate use and does no one any good except the manufacturer.
Identify first.

and if you have already sprayed.. TWICE.. what more do you need ...

ya know.. the spray is not going to make the leaves look better ...

how do you know there was any further damage.. after the first spray ....

my best advice.. dont look at it for the rest of the season...

there is always next year ...

its all cosmetic.. plagues come and go.. year to year ... if it will truly drive you insane.. get rid of it ...

ken

Thanks folks for chimimg in! Yeah, I know, chemicals are after the fact...... I've never treated for grubs due to cost constraints. I mow 3 of my 6A & treating for grubs would bankrupt me. Perhaps I should consider treating the area around my house. Or is there an organic alternative?

Milky Spore is marketed as an alternative but is just as (if not more) costly than chemical control.
And I treated with Milky Spore twice and it didn't clear them up.
There may be a beneficial nematode available, I don't know.

Live with them?
They are very clearly cyclical, at least here, because I have had years of swarms and years where I didn't see a one.
So it'll be better next year.

Thanks cearbhaill! I guess, live with them, will be my continued course of action (or lack of). Grubs really haven't been a monumental issue for me (other than the moles tunneling in my lawn) in the 37 years I've lived here. This isolated incident is actually a first...

That's not Japanese Beetle damage. It's a bit early for them to appear; they swarm their food plants at all hours so it's impossible to miss them; their signature damage is in the form of skeletonized leaves, rather than big hunks chewed away. Look for JBs June/July in your location...though things so seem kinda whacky this year.

I'd look for other insect pests, like the pear slug sawfly, other beetles, caterpillars, weevils, etc. Bacterial spot (shot hole disease) is also a possibility.

Honestly, the most efficient, smartest, and safest method of preventing Japanese Beetles is to avoid bringing their all time favorite foods into your yard in the first place. Plant selection is one of the most important steps in a good Integrated Pest Management system.

Your Purpleleaf Sandcherry is a perfect example. It is a host for a wide variety of insect AND disease pests. It's not worth the effort and the chemical battle to have something in your yard that looks like THAT no matter what you do.

Thanks rhizo! I'm a little late reading your post, but I appreciate your knowledgeable input. I had no idea I was planting such a heart ache! From the way they look, I prolly won't have to worry about them much longer!

Well, they really are insect and disease prone...that's for sure. And when the Japanese beetles DO hit, you'll be amazed. Phew!

please refer to the link for how to take care of this ... lol

sand cherry.. plum.. whatever ....

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link