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Ozarks Gardening

what is eating my rose leaves?

14 years ago

Somethng is eating the inner part of my rose leaves. The green part of the leaf is gone and you can see transparent film underneath the chewed part. I can not find any insects on the plant. I have bad eyes, so if they are very tiny I am going to have to use a magnifying glass. I wish I could post a picture, but I don't have a digital camera. Anyone have a clue? What do I do to get rid of the pest?

Thanks

Ann

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Comments (5)

kaye
14 years ago
Probably the same critters that are eating my hibiscus..haven't seem to bother the roses yet. There was a post a while back on the Organic Forum that I've linked to below that has some great info..

Here is a link that might be useful: Rose leaf damage
bunny6
Original Author
14 years ago
Kaye, I looked at the post, but I don't see any green worms. They could be there, and I just don't see them. What ever it is I am going to try the insecticidal soap that people talked about in the post. I have a degree in science and I know how bad some chemicals can be. I hope the soap works.
Thanks for your response. Have a great day!
Ann
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Comments (7)
Bayer 3-in-1 will get rid of some of those bugs. It will also kill the predator wasps, ladybugs, and any mantids and create an environment where the bad bugs return sooner than their predators. For those aphids, rose slugs, and mites, a simply spray of water is nearly as effective as a kill'em-all insecticide. These are the easier of the pests to knock off of rose bushes. The rain should be part of your pest control, and not contributing to the infestation. I believe all of the ones you listed prefer hot & dry conditions.
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Comments (2)
Assuming she lives someplace that has Japanese beetles. Here on the West Coast, rose leaves that look like lace mean rose slugs. You can search them out on the undersides of the leaves and squish, or spray with Orthene. 'Safe' sprays won't work on them.
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Could not find where to upload images so i am adding to my clippings on My Page...
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Somethings eating my rose leaves and other plants too
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Comments (14)
Whether they can or can't crawl back up, new crops of them hatch out all the time. Like aphids, Japanese, Fuller, Curculio and other beetles as well as all other insects which suck or chew the plants, you have to continually battle them during their "season" using whatever methods you've selected. I'm not recommending any method nor attempting to encourage you to go "nuclear" on them, but the less toxic your method, the more interactive you have to be with the control. With more generations regularly hatching from eggs, and more eggs being deposited as long as conditions favor their reproduction, new "slugs" are appearing daily or every few days. So, if you're knocking them off, picking them off or washing them off, you have to be diligent at it. Pick, knock or wash them off daily or every few days as your time, energy and infestation dictate. Or, go with an organic control like the bacterial Spinosad, which knocks down all of the hatched slugs at once for two weeks. That has to be sprayed twice monthly unless it's all washed off by a heavy rain. Yes, it can kill the predators, too, but all "insecticides" will. The point is, you have to determine whether you want to constantly battle them or take stronger measures against them. They not only cause unsightly damage, but ANYTHING which reduces the green leaf area of the rose, inhibits, reduces its ability to feed itself. Reduce the leaf surface area sufficiently and you inhibit the plant's immune system, weaken the plant,by causing it be malnourished, making it more susceptible to other damaging factors such as fungal attacks and potential freeze damage in winter, if that is a possibility where you live. Kim
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christie_sw_mo
14 years ago
How frustrating. I wonder if there could be something munching on it at night. Hopefully, the insecticidal soap will take care of it whatever it is. If not, you may want to go out after dark with a flashlight to see if you can see anything.
pauln
14 years ago
If the rose leaves are "skelatonized" where the veins are left behind then it sounds like Japanese Beetles. They love roses. The leaves will look like lace after being eaten with all of the green gone. If it is JB, then insecticidal soap will have no effect on them. That only works on soft bugs such as aphids, lacebugs, mealybugs. Organic methods of killing JB would be something strong like pyrethrins or neem oil. Grub control is also very important. There is a parasite of grubs called "milky spore" that eats the grubs and spreads through the soil to infect other grubs. It may take a few years to have very good control with this. Perhaps a multi-stage effort to kill out as many adult beetles as possible and also work on the grubs. Good luck!
bunny6
Original Author
14 years ago
Christie, I am going out tonight with a flashlight to see if I can find the critters. My neighbors think I am a little nutty anyway. I am the only person with flower gardens in my neighborhood. Anyway, Pauln, it doesn't look like JB, but thanks for the knowledge. Now I know what to look for when my leaves are skelatonized. I hope the soap works or the insects leave.
Thanks
Ann

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