Birch Tree losing leaves in July

My 70+ year old birch tree has started to drop its leaves at an alarming rate with the slightest breeze or touch of the branches and the ground is carpeted! The leaves are still green, although the reverse sides of many of them are brown spotted. Seed heads are already mature - is this unusual for July? I read somewhere that leaf drop of up to 50% can happen but that's usually due to drought, while here in Edinburgh on 15th of the month we have already had 140% of our expected July rainfall - and have experienced the dizzying delights of 105 minutes of sunshine (:-l Any advice or diagnosis will be gratefully received!

I wonder if it might not be age, 70 is quite mature for a silver birch. They're not usually bothered by wet, as their roots are fairly shallow and I've seen them growing happily at the edges of marshes.

Thanks Alina ... am conscious of her lifespan but dreading the day when our beautiful birch tree no longer graces the garden. She's long been my favourite - my Queen of the Woodland ... and another birch will stand in her place, one day.

However - it would appear that day is not yet! More research has revealed the source of the problem to be aphids. They're having a field day as the very wet weather has laid low all their predators. The received advice is to hose down the tree every few days ...well, for a start she's about 40' tall and ... hose down? THIS year? Sheesh!

Anyway, our Queen of the Woodland is fighting back! Close examination today shows new leaves forming wherever the old ones have been lost - I look forward to the rest of this growing year with interest!

It's unusual to have such a bad infestation on a birch, but I guess it's an unusual year.

Good luck - if the aphids are shed with the leaves, it should certainly help.

Hi I have exactly the same problem with my silver birches and live in the Edinburgh area. I have noticed new leaves appearing very slowly too but the most affected tree is losing it's leaves with the slightest breeze.  Glad to hear it's probably aphids.  Did you try the hosing down thing?