The damage you describe is that of the black vine weevil, a small nocturnal weevil that, in its larval stage, feeds on azalea and rhododendron roots. As the new leaves expand in the spring, adult weevils emerge from the soil and make nightly visits to the leaves to feed, chomping sections out of the margins of the new leaves. Black vine weevils can’t fly, so they don’t spread rapidly. They spread most commonly in container plants and a few larvae in a single pot may start an infestation that may damage dozens of plants in your garden. Black vine weevils are very hard to get rid of, so quarantine new plants for several months before planting to make sure they are not infested. A pesticide containing imidacloprid may help control them.
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