Rose Weevil

The Rose Weevil is a very small insect about ¼ inch in length. They have long snouts that bore into the rosebud to feed and lay eggs. If you remove the affected buds, you will be sucessful in controlling them.

Rose Chafers

Rose Chafers are grayish beetles that are ½” long. They can be seen eating flower buds and petals. Spray with insecticide when the problem is first noticed.

Rose Gall

Rose gall is caused by a wasp species that secretes a certain chemical that creates rounded swellings on rose canes. The wasp lays eggs inside the gall. The best thing to do is to prune off the affected cane and destroy it before the larvae emerge.

Rose Midge

Rose Midge can be devastating to your roses, specifically to the blooms. The larvae of this microscopic insect feed on growing tips that should result in buds. Unfortunately, the rose midge has no known predators and no natural means of control. Young larvae hatch in the soil, so the most effective means ofmcontrol are used on the soil to kill them as they hatch.

Sawfly Larvae

These are caterpillar-like larvae, which feed on the leaves of your roses in the spring. They are about 1 ¼ inch long and are light green, some with black spots. If you get on top of this pest right away, you should be able to control them by simply hand-picking them. Look for them on the undersides of the leaves.

Scale

The scale insect forms tiny crust like formations on the stems of roses. The foliage may also be affected with a sticky honey-dew like excrement. These formations are actually the skeletons of the scale insect; they can be white, grayish or tan. The best form of defense is to simply cut off the offending stem and to dispose of it, or to spray with dormant oil in the winter.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are tiny pests that suck juices from the undersides of rose leaves. This results in yellowed, dried and curled up leaves that eventually fall off the bush. You may also see little webs on the leaves. Spider mites do most of their damage in hot, dry weather. You can get rid of them by using a strong spray from your garden hose to wash them away. Make sure you reach the undersides of the foliage, as this is where they do their damage. You can also try applying rubbing alcohol to the affected leaves. Spider Mites are not insects, so cannot be killed with insecticides.

Thrips

Thrips are tiny, slender, dark brown or black, sucking insects that damage and destroy opening rose buds turning them brown and leaving them only partially opened. They also feed on the upper surface of the leaf. They can be difficult to see outdoors. If you think that your rose may have thrips, take a cutting inside and shake it over white paper to see if any fall out. Look for a brownish black insect with a narrow body up to 1/16 inch long. They thrive in hot, dry conditions. Regularly watering your roses and spraying with an insecticide or simply cutting off the affected rose or leaf should do the job