Rose-pest
Guides
Agrilus cuprescens
Rose Stem Girdler, Bronze Cane Borer
Agrilus cuprescens is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, commonly known as the rose stem girdler or bronze cane borer. Native to the Palearctic region, it has been introduced to North America where it has been documented as far west as Washington State. The species is associated with Rosa species and related Rosaceae as larval hosts, with larvae developing in stems and exhibiting girdling behavior. It serves as host for the parasitoid wasp Baryscapus rugglesi.
Allantus
Allantus is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae. Members of this genus are herbivorous, with larvae feeding on various plants including roses, buckwheat, and dock weeds. Some species are significant agricultural pests, while others have been investigated as potential biological control agents for invasive weeds. The genus is distributed across the Holarctic region, with species found in Europe, Asia, and North America.
Allantus cinctus
Curled rose sawfly, Banded rose sawfly
Allantus cinctus, commonly known as the curled rose sawfly or banded rose sawfly, is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. The larvae are significant defoliators of rose plants, feeding on leaf margins and capable of reducing foliage to mid-veins. When not feeding, larvae curl tightly on leaf undersides or buds, providing effective camouflage. The species produces two generations per year in temperate regions, with larvae boring into twigs to pupate.
Allantus viennensis
Curled Rose Sawfly, Rose Sawfly
Allantus viennensis is a sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, commonly known as the curled rose sawfly. The larvae are significant pests of roses, feeding on leaf margins and causing defoliation. Adults are small, wasp-like insects with saw-like ovipositors used to insert eggs into rose tissue. The species is distinguished by the larval habit of curling cryptically on leaves when not feeding.
Arge ochropus
rose sawfly
Arge ochropus, commonly known as the rose sawfly, is a small sawfly species in the family Argidae. Adults measure 7–10 mm in length and are active primarily in spring. The species is native to the Palearctic region and has been introduced to northeastern North America. Larvae feed on rose leaves, causing skeletonization damage, while adults consume nectar and pollen from several flowering plants. The species produces two generations annually in temperate regions.
Cladius
Cladius is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae, comprising approximately 17 described species. These insects are known primarily as pests of rose plants, with larvae that feed on leaf tissue causing skeletonization and defoliation. The genus includes notable species such as the Bristly Rose Slug (Cladius difformis) and the Bristley Rose Sawfly (Cladius pectinicornis), both of which cause significant damage to cultivated roses in gardens and horticultural settings.
Cladius pectinicornis
bristly rose sawfly
Cladius pectinicornis is a Palearctic sawfly whose larvae are known as bristly rose slugs, significant pests of cultivated roses. The small wasp-like adults exhibit striking sexual dimorphism in antennae structure, with males bearing pectinate (comb-like) antennae. Larvae skeletonize rose leaves by feeding on tissue between vascular bundles, and can cause severe defoliation when abundant. The species has been introduced to North America, where it occurs on both coasts and ranges from Nova Scotia to British Columbia.
Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla
Rose Plume Moth
Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla, the rose plume moth, is a distinctive plume moth in the family Pterophoridae. The species is widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere and is closely associated with Rosa species as its larval host. Adults are active in mid-summer and are readily attracted to light. The species has been recorded as a pest of roses in Turkey, where larval feeding inside flower buds can destroy a substantial portion of bud mass.
Diplolepis spinosa
many-spined twig gall wasp
Diplolepis spinosa is a cynipid gall wasp native to North America that induces large, conspicuous, multichambered stem galls on wild and domestic roses. The species has been documented on Rosa blanda, Rosa acicularis, and Rosa rugosa, and has recently become established on domestic roses in central Canada. Its galls are among the most visible in grassland habitats across the continent. The wasp exhibits complex gall development involving eggs deposited in slits between leaf primordia near bud tips, with larvae inducing separate chambers within spherical stem galls.
Endelomyia
roseslug sawfly
Endelomyia is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae, containing at least two described species. The genus is best known for Endelomyia aethiops, commonly called the roseslug sawfly, a significant pest of cultivated roses. Larvae feed on rose foliage, producing characteristic skeletonization damage by removing soft tissue between leaf veins. The genus can be distinguished from the related slugworm genus Caliroa by antennal characters and wing venation.
Endelomyia aethiops
roseslug, rose slug sawfly, roseslug sawfly
Endelomyia aethiops, commonly known as the roseslug or rose slug sawfly, is a species of common sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. The larvae are significant pests of cultivated roses, causing characteristic skeletonization damage by feeding on leaf tissue between vascular bundles. Adults are small, wasp-like insects that emerge in spring to lay eggs on rose foliage. The species has a single generation per year in most regions, with larvae active primarily in May and June.
Hoplia callipyge
Grapevine Hoplia
Hoplia callipyge is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, commonly known as the Grapevine Hoplia. Adults are active in spring and are recognized as minor agricultural and garden pests due to their feeding on rose petals and other flowers. The species occurs in western North America from British Columbia to Baja California. Larvae develop in soil, feeding on roots and decaying organic matter.
Macrodactylus subspinosus
American Rose Chafer, Rose Chafer
Macrodactylus subspinosus, commonly known as the American Rose Chafer, is a scarab beetle native to North America. It is a significant agricultural and horticultural pest that feeds on the foliage, flowers, and fruit of numerous plants, including roses, grapes, apples, and peaches. Adults emerge in late May to mid-June, live 3–6 weeks, and aggregate on host plants using plant volatiles to locate feeding sites. The species undergoes complete metamorphosis with larvae overwintering deep in soil and feeding on plant roots.
Macrosiphum rosae
Rose Aphid
Macrosiphum rosae, the rose aphid, is a cosmopolitan pest of cultivated roses. Wingless adults are spindle-shaped, 1.7–3.6 mm long, and variable in color from green to pink to reddish-brown. The species is distinguished from similar aphids by its long, tapered, black siphunculi. It exhibits complex life cycle strategies including both holocyclic (sexual) and anholocyclic (asexual) populations depending on climate. In temperate regions, it alternates between rose primary hosts and secondary hosts such as teasel and valerian; in milder climates like South Australia and Iran, populations remain anholocyclic on roses year-round. The species is a significant horticultural pest causing aesthetic damage through flower and foliage distortion, honeydew production, and sooty mold development.
Myzaphis rosarum
Lesser Rose Aphid
Myzaphis rosarum is a small aphid species in the family Aphididae, commonly known as the Lesser Rose Aphid. It colonizes Rosa species and various trees, occurring on both wild and cultivated plants. The species serves as prey for aphidophagous predators including Hippodamia convergens, and has been documented as a suitable host supporting predator development in laboratory studies. It is distinguished from congeners by specific morphological characters.