IPM for insect pests of roses

First inspect your plants for damage or insects. This is called scouting. Look for discoloration, unusual growth, swellings, and leaf defoliation. Set a threshold for your acceptance level of insect and disease damage. While this can be related to plant health, in the case of ornamental plants, such as roses, it often relates to aesthetics. When damage is discovered, be sure the damaging insects are still present. It will not help to use controls after the insects have left. When pest insects are found, consider the range of options available for controlling that particular pest. Control suggestions are given below for specific pests. There may be options other than conventional insecticides to control the pest. The use of physical measures, low-toxicity insecticides (called biorational insecticides), or the judicious use of conventional insecticides help preserve beneficial insects that naturally help keep pest insect populations in check. If physical measures are an option for your pest, try them first. If not, use the least toxic insecticide that is effective for your pest. Proper timing of insecticidal usage to the vulnerable stage of the pest is important.

The target is the pest, therefore inspect the plant to see where the pests are located and treat only those areas. Spot treating puts the insecticide only where it is needed and reduces the amount of pesticide used.

Specific pesticides are suggested for each pest. The pesticides are listed by the common chemical name found in the active ingredient area of the product label. An example of a trade name is in parentheses. Look for the appropriate active ingredient on the label and verify that the product can be used on roses. Some pesticide products are ready to use, while others require preparation. Also, some pesticides are harder to find and may require more effort to locate. Always read and comply with the pesticide label. Use of trade names does not imply endorsement.

Table 1. Physical and Biorational Controls for Rose Insects.
Read the information within the text for further details about these control options.

Insect	insecticidal soaps	horticultural oils	azadirachtin	water spray	pruning	hand-picking
Sawflies
Japanese beetle*
False Japanese beetle
Rose chafer
Fuller rose beetle
Leafcutting bees
Aphids
Spider mites
Rose stem girdler
Rose stem sawfly
Carpenter bees
Rose midge
Gall wasps

* See text.

Insect	pyrethrins	malathion	(Sevin) carbaryl	(Orthene) acephate	(Dursban) chlorpyrifos	(Kelthane) dicofol
Sawflies
Japanese beetle**
False Japanese beetle
Rose chafer
Fuller rose beetle
Leafcutting bees*
Aphids
Spider mites
Rose stem girdler*
Rose stem sawfly*
Carpenter bees*
Rose midge***
Gall wasps*

* Report sightings to the MDA.
** See text.
*** Dimethoate (Cygon-2E) is another systemic chemical for rose midge.

See Extension publication Sustainability in Urban Ecosystems, FO-6709, for more information on limiting the use of pesticides. Other information on roses can be found in Extension publications: Rose Diseases, FS-1163; Selecting Hardy Roses for Northern Climates, FO-6750; the slide set CUES for Hardy Roses, SS-6751; and Roses for the North, MR-6594; and the slide set CUES for Insect Identification on Roses, SS-6954.