AusBonsai

I have a recently acquired Japanese maple, and I have noticed that the leaves seem to be sticking together, and a lot of them are wilting but stuck together in a bunch. Whilst inspecting this further and trying to unstick the leaves (which was quite easy) I noticed a tiny and I mean miniscule red/orange bug running away from me. I squashed the lil bugger, but I'm worried I have some kind of bug on tree.
Please help me if you have any suggestions.
Thanks
Luke

Red Spider mite

Have you tied a rock to it!!!

If it is red spider mite, what would be the best method of attack?

And should I be concerned about my other trees or will they just stay locally on the one tree (which is about 3 metres away from my other trees anyway)?

Red spider mite is very small and hard to see with the naked eye except when you put a pice of white paper under the branch, tap it and see what lands on the paper. Leaves don't tend to bunch together with spider mite

The red Spider you saw to me sounds like a good insect preying on others.

So you have something else; something that gathers the leaves together and hides inside or builds a coccoon etc

Anyhow give a spray of Confidor unless you find with the paper test you do have mites. If you have Mites use a Miticide.

Grant

I usually find a little green catapiller does this to mine. I think it is from the common white butterfy.
I usually just pull the leaves apart and sqwash the caterpillar if I can catch it.