Bugs in my roses!

Lisa McDaniel
by Lisa McDaniel
I have been all over town (that's like only 3 places in my town) and no one can tell me what kind of bug this is. I have been finding this *bug* in my roses. They have been eating the middle of them. Last year and the year before around August each time I found similar ones on my Altheas. They were smaller but with a zillion dots. I'd say there were easily 60 on a bud. Now I have these on some of my roses, not all. Can anyone tell me what IT is and how to get rid of it? I was using Neem Oil but changed to wetable sulphur to see if that would help.
  12 answers
  • Looks like a beetle. Maybe a Mexican Bean Beetle?? White spotted rose beetle? Japanese beetle, fuller rose beetle....lots of beetles on roses. Or just google it and see if you can find it! I tried to but couldn't find much that matched it. Just get a spray that works on beetles.
    • Lisa McDaniel Lisa McDaniel on May 07, 2015
      @Beth H. Makemeprettyagain.blogspot Yes I know it is a beetle I'm wanting to know what kind though.
  • Monique Clouatre Monique Clouatre on May 06, 2015
    100% sure no more bugs if you plant garlic around. Beleive me, Monique
  • Brenda R Brenda R on May 06, 2015
    I have these exact bugs on my hibiscus, marigolds and roses. The odd thing is they are only on the yellow ones. They don't get on the other colors of these 3 plants just yellow. I have been told they are a beetle. Seven Dust is all I've found that works for them but can't seem to keep it on the plants because of the wind and rain. I crush them when I see them but can't stand over the plants all the time to crush them as they arrive.
    • Lisa McDaniel Lisa McDaniel on May 07, 2015
      @Brenda R Yes, I know it is a beetle but I want to know what kind. I first found them on my yellow roses ( not sure what kind ) then two days ago I found some (3) on my Belinda's Dream (pink) roses. I'm not too worried about the yellow roses as it's about gone due to heavy Black Spot, but I don't want my others to get infested. I may try that Sevin Dust thank you! About keeping it on the plants-- if you mix it with water it will stick. I'm not sure about the ratio tho. I know sulphur is 8 tbs to a gal. of water.
  • Rebouchage Rebouchage on May 07, 2015
    It could be a lily beetle, a vine beetle, I don't know, Bet H's idea is a good one Beetle it-I mean Google it. Good luck. David
  • Diane Diane on May 07, 2015
    If you send the pic to the CSIRO they will identify the bug and may even tell you how to get rid of it. I would grab a jar half full of salted water, a stool and a glass of wine and sit there and pic them all off, including the infected buds. Put the lid on the jar until the bugs are all dead.
    • Lisa McDaniel Lisa McDaniel on May 07, 2015
      @Diane I like that idea ! The stool and a glass of wine lol. Funny, I put it in a baggy when I carried it from store to store and the funny thing is I had it in there since the night before and it was still alive ! I just knew I'd have nightmares about beetles last night !
  • Barb Hynes Barb Hynes on May 07, 2015
    You could try e-sending a photo to The Michigan State Extention Service in Howell, Michigan. They can identify almost anything!!!
  • Barbara Null Barbara Null on May 07, 2015
    It is definitely a beetle, there are many kinds and they love eating plants.. Best thing to do for these pests is brush them off into a bucket of dawn dishwashing detergent and water. You were ok using the stuff you were using, but many of us are battling this nemesis of the garden. You could get a treatment for your lawn, though expensive and drop it down in fall to kill the larvae which live in the ground.. it is called milky spore.. Good luck.. my fiancee picks them and sqishes them with his fingers.. lol
    • Lisa McDaniel Lisa McDaniel on May 07, 2015
      @Barbara Null Ewww. No way am I touching it ! LMAO. I had to have my husband get it out of the baggy just so I could get a picture of it. Hahaha I think I've read somewhere that Texas A&M might be able to help. They have an agriculture dept. It has been suggest by Lowe's and Home Depot to use a 3-1 systemic product on them. You mix it and pour it at the base of the bush. It is supposed to fight disease, insects and feed the plant. But that still doesn't tell me what it is lol
  • Melissa Melissa on May 07, 2015
    Probably a Japanese beetle , if you spray with liquid seven dust it will kill them .
  • Lauretta Leone Lauretta Leone on May 07, 2015
    Please don't use Sevin unless you are sure nothing else will work. Sevin is very toxic to many insects/bugs including beneficials. Google Spangled Flower bug and see if that is a possibility. Does your county have an extension service or Entomologist? Or are there any agriculutural/horticultural/land grant Universities near you? What about a rose society? Hope one of these will be of help.
  • Saskie Saskie on May 07, 2015
    Could it be a rose curculio? I often have these on my roses, spray with Sevin if they are.
  • Mary Tonningsen Mary Tonningsen on May 08, 2015
    I've been searching for beetles online for awhile - who knew there were so many?? I think there are more types of beetles than there are spiders and I thought spiders outnumbered people! Anyway, I'm sure I haven't seen them all, but I found this one, the Brown Fuller Rose Weevil that looked pretty similar. Not sure if it's the same as yours, but it looks pretty similar. Maybe? Hope it helps, If not, it was fun for me doing the research anyway :)
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    • Mary Tonningsen Mary Tonningsen on May 10, 2015
      @Lisa McDaniel Our county extension office is great, too, from what I hear. Or your local Master Gardener's program could probably help (they may be through the county ext. office, come to think of it!). Good luck getting rid of these guys! :)
  • Mary O'Allen Mary O'Allen on Mar 27, 2017

    I just rescued a dying rose plant recently and had my first rose bloom a few days ago. Yesterday I found a few beetles in it and there are now holes all in it :-( I have been searching beetles and I think the one invading mine might be a spangled flower beetle. I am currently researching ways to get rid of them and have so far found that planting garlic around may help? Not sure...