Caterpillars eating my rose bush

Discussion in 'Roses' started by enc, Jun 29, 2025.

  1. enc

    enc Gardener

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    noticed today green catapillars destroying the leaves on a rode bush. What can be done?


     
  2. Allotment Boy

    Allotment Boy Lifelong Allotmenteer

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    I can't see the video but my best guess would be a sawfly, the larvae can be very destructive. pick them off by hand or spray if you must, an organic spray based on rapeseed oil would work but has to contact the caterpillars directly.
     
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    • AnniD

      AnniD Super Gardener

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      I can't see the video either, but I agree with @Allotment Boy, it's pretty certain that they are sawfly. I found some on one of my rose bushes last week.
      Large rose sawfly / RHS

      I just cut the affected section of leaves off (carefully so as not to dislodge any of the little blighters), and transfer them to my green waste bin. This may or may not be the ideal solution. Trouble is, by the time I spot them, 99% of the damage has been done.
      Alternatively you could squish them.
       
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      • enc

        enc Gardener

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        Does the clip work now?
         
      • AnniD

        AnniD Super Gardener

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        Yes :smile:.
         
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        • Allotment Boy

          Allotment Boy Lifelong Allotmenteer

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          Yes and it confirms my first thoughts.
           
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          • enc

            enc Gardener

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            Ik thanks. I’ll get spraying then:sad:
             
          • On the Levels

            On the Levels Total Gardener

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            We only had Solomon Seal sawfly. They would come in thankfully after we had the flowers and then decimate the whole plants.
            Then we had gooseberry sawfly. Had a good harvest last year but then threadbare bushes. This year a handful of fruit.
            So now you have rose bush sawfly. Decided to look at how many different species there are....8000!
            We don't stand a chance!
             
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            • Allotment Boy

              Allotment Boy Lifelong Allotmenteer

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              This always brings to mind one of my favourite episodes of the Victorian kitchen garden. In it you see the late great Harry, spreading powdered lime on the ground. He then puts some kind of cap cartridge into a small single barrel shotgun and fires, close to the gooseberry bushes. He and Peter Thoday then rush forward to see all the sawfly caterpillars on the ground in the lime. As Harry declared " goodness knows who thought of this he must have been a very desperate man" They conclude that it's the shock waves and air going past that dislodged them.
              I foresee sales of large cap guns rising as I write this. :biggrin::loll:
               
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              • enc

                enc Gardener

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                Now where did I put that double barrel shot gun??!!:whistle:
                 
              • AnniD

                AnniD Super Gardener

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                I'd love to see that @Allotment Boy .
                There are times when I'd like to try something similar in my own garden :biggrin::biggrin:
                 
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