# Pests for Roses
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Cane Borers
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Cane borers are larvae of carpenter bees and sawflies, and they use the tops of pruned canes to enter the rose. They lay eggs on the rose stems in late spring or early summer. After the eggs hatch, the larvae find their way to the center of the plant, a process that can kill the cane down. Cane borers are noticeable for the small holes they make in the center of pruned canes. Another sign of this pest is the dying foliage at the top of a rosebush.
Japanese Beetles
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Japanese beetles are shiny copper and green beetles that eat the foliage and the entire flower of roses. When abundant, they can devastate the aesthetics of rose blooms. They eat large oblong or round holes in the leaves and flowers, sometimes leaving only the leaf skeleton behind. Generally the Japanese beetles eat the plant from the top down. They are not lethal to the roses, but the damage they cause is considerable. Japanese beetles are a problem in summer, as they only feed on grass and roots during spring. They all mature at the same time, thus are visible on the roses. Japanese beetles are mostly present in the states east of the Mississippi River.
Aphids
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Aphids, or plant lice, are small insects about 1/16 to 1/8 inch long that appear in the spring and damage new rosebuds. Usually they are light green, but they can also be black, brown or red. Aphids puncture the soft tissues of the plant to suck out the sap. They can cause severe infestations that can kill new plants. While feeding, aphids excrete a sticky substance that attracts ants, which bite off the wings of the aphids to prevent them from flying away.
Spider Mites
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Spider mites are part of the Arachnid family, being common to the low rainfall areas that have warm summer temperatures. The use of insecticides that kill their natural predators is one of the reasons spider mites appear in gardens. Bronzing or discoloration and scorching of leaves are symptoms of spider mites. When they are present in large numbers, spider mites produce webbing on the plant, which protects the mites from predators. They pierce the tissue of the leaf and suck out the sap.
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