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Help! Black worms killing rambling rosebuds #832712

Asked May 30, 2023, 12:39 PM EDT

I have a ~5 year old rambling rose that I LOVE. The roses just started blooming this week when I realized some of the buds were covered in what looks like a little spiders webbing but is filled with black bugs that are in the shape of tiny worms. Looking closely, it seems like some of the black worm shaped things might be poop or dead bugs and not a live bug? But you'll see in the photo there are nests / groupings of something more brown and slimy and I think that's the actual live worms. Eww. I can't find anything on the internet that looks like this. It doesn't look like aphid larvae, and the bugs aren't green like rose slugs seem to be. I've got to save my rose! Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.

Hennepin County Minnesota

Expert Response

This apparently is budworm.

My fellow experts offered this advice:  "Insecticidal soap, carbaryl (Sevin), or permethrin (Eight) should control the insects. I am not sure if they are tobacco budworms because they usually arrive later in the summer."  See https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/tobacco-budworms

Another expert offered this: Looks like the work of some kind of rose budworm. The black stuff is frass."

See https://fmanos.wordpress.com/tag/rose-budworm-treatment/

Good luck with your rose.
Diane M Replied May 31, 2023, 5:03 PM EDT
Another expert suggested that you contact the Minnesota Rose Society, which also answers questions.    See: https://ask2.extension.org/scp/tickets.
Diane M Replied June 01, 2023, 12:20 PM EDT

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