Caterpillars That Eat Roses
Roses, which are in the Rosa genus, are among the most recognized and most grown flowers across the world, according to Field Roebuck in "Complete Roses." Rose plants come in a variety of forms, including ground covers, shrubs and trees, and damaging caterpillars can infest them. Does this Spark an idea?
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Identification
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Roses are susceptible to a variety of foliage-eating caterpillars. These include omnivorous looper, fruittree leafroller, tent caterpillars, orange tortrix and tussock moths.
Description
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Caterpillar is a generic name for a butterfly or moth larva. The majority of caterpillars are leaf eaters. The pests have three pairs of legs just behind their heads.
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Damage
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Some foliage-feeding caterpillars damage rose leaves by rolling the leaves with their silk and creating silk nests by tying the leaves together. Others feed under cover of silk shields they've created, while some simply eat leaves and stems as they encounter them, according to the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program.
Management
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Keep plants in vigorous health to defend against a majority of diseases and pests. Kill larvae by placing them in soapy water before disposing of them. Prune and remove all infested plant areas. The microbial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis is effective on newly hatched caterpillars, according to the California IPM Program.
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References
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