Disease or insect damage to my rose bushes - Ask Extension
Hello. I would like to send this picture of a stem of leaves from one of my rose bushes. I didn’t know if it is a disease or the result of insect da...
Knowledgebase
Disease or insect damage to my rose bushes #798822
Asked June 30, 2022, 2:15 PM EDT
Hello. I would like to send this picture of a stem of leaves from one of my rose bushes. I didn’t know if it is a disease or the result of insect damage. If you can identify the problem and let me know how to deal with it , I would appreciate it. My name is Doug Zahn and I can be reached at<personal data hidden>,or text <personal data hidden> . I have noticed a good number of box elder bugs crawling on the mulch and also small red eggs (I think)under a few leaves and wonder if this is the problem.
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
The rose leaves in your photo appear to have damage from a rose slug. The eat the surface tissue of the leaves causing the leaf to turn lacy looking and brown over time. While the damage is not pretty it is unlikely to cause the whole plant to decline. Scouting for the slugs (they may be on underside of leaf) and removing daily is the least invasive control method. If you chose to use a pesticide confirm it treats rose slugs and follow label instructions closely. Below is a link that includes information specific to rose slugs.
https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/sawflies#roseslug-1044161
https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/sawflies#roseslug-1044161
