Errrrr, yes it can be caterpillars :-/
I have several shrubs being eaten by them, not to mention herbaceous plants.
They eat all year round :-(((((((((

They're 'trademark' is neat, round holes ..... some large, some small, i posted a picture of my 'eaten heucheras' a month or so back and this shows beautifully their trademark.

Thanks Louise...........definitely sounds like caterpillars...I just thought it would be too cold for them yet. Will use Malathion on them....

Have you seen any sign of caterpillar Janey. Could also be vine weevils I've heard somewhere they like Rhodos.

Yes, when my rhodo died, the Nursery was reluctant to replace it, as they said it was probably vine weevils. (It wasn't, in my case, though!) They also eat holes in the leaves.

Thanks...Pam and Barbara.....we'll have a look at the GC for a spray or powder...she's had it so many years....all is not lost yet, there are flower buds on it...:o))

More likely to be vine weevils than caterpillars. If it is a mature rhodo. the vine weevils will not actually kill just make the leaves look messy. They attack several of the rhodos in our garden. Spray isn't really gonig to work as they only come out at night to feed.

I thought that was the case moon grower, also I believe they cann't fly, but how come they seem to travel great distances? I've even found them indoors. Must have roller skates on :o))

Well given they are beetles then they have wings and can fly... we certainly find, and kill, them in he house.

I've just checked this website http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/vineweevil.htm and they don't fly... just extremely good walkers! And very difficult to get rid of!

Thanks all for the response...:o) More than likely is Vine Weevil then, Pam and Moongrower...the Rhodo must be at least 20years old if not more, so hopefully will be okay.....I'm off to have another look at it tomorrow.....thanks once again for all your help.

Useful website Moongrower. I thought they were good walkers. If you pick them up their feet seem to stick to you, ahh, horrible feeling.

Yup it is Pamd just stamp on them hard

Had a look Mg....yes I have seen these before........shall look out for them from now on...thanks for that.

You'll mostly find them after dark, go out with a torch

Had a good look at the bush......it has lost quite a lot of leaves from the outer branches....looks healthy inside though. The bite marks are circle shaped..it has ladybirds on it keeping watch I hope.......

Oh dear - that does sound horribly like them, Janey. Nice to have ladybirds around, though.

Moon grower, I hate the "pop" when you stamp on them !! I'm not a squeamish sort normally but I do hate these.

The ladybirds will not help to control the vine weevil though...

No....but it was good to see something positive on it....:o)

Yes and they will deal with any aphids