TROUBLE SHOOTING
ROSE MIDGE
The classic symptoms of a rose midge (Dasineura rhodophaga) attack
are the rose buds that turn brown, shrivel, and disintegrate. The early
signs of an attack may be buds that are deformed or buds that do not
open properly. These little insects have a relatively short life cycle,
approximately two weeks, which make them difficult to control. They
just keep reproducing faster than most people get their necessary
spray applications completed. The pupa over winter in the soil under
infested plants. They begin to emerge in late spring when the soil
becomes warm. This would explain why in some seasons the first flush
of bloom does not seem to be affected by these little pests. The
female lays her eggs in the flower bud, or the tender tissue at the base
of the bud formation. As soon as the eggs hatch the larvae begin to
extract sap from the forming bud. These are very tiny insects, less
than 2 mm, but you may be able to see them with some magnification
or it you have good eyes. They rapidly mature, mate and return to the
soil to start the cycle over. The fly itself does not feed and dies shortly
after mating.
Currently there is only one control that is likely to rid the garden of
rose midge. This is a product containing cyfluthrin. The Penn State
University recommends the formulations of cyfluthrin and imidacloprid,
deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin (Battle GC, Demand CS, Scimitar CS,
Scimitar GC, and Scimitar WP only), and pyrethrins and piperonyl
butoxide listed for rose midge management. The most readily available
formulation is from Bayer. They have two products that can be useful
in the rose garden. The first is Bayer Advanced Power Force Multi-
insect Killer. This is a granular blend that should be applied in the
spring when the bushes begin to leaf. The second product from Bayer
is Bayer Advanced Garden Rose & Flower Insect Killer. This is applied
as a spray. If you have an infestation of rose midge, multiple
applications will be required every 10 days. This is necessary
because of the insect’s rapid and varied reproduction pattern. Don’t
forget to spray the ground around the bushes as well as the foliage if
you have not used the granular product within three months, or to be
more certain that the residual ground concentration is high enough to
be effective. The reason: we want to get the pest no matter at what
stage it is in: as fly, pupa, or larva.
This is one infestation that will require bold action. Organic
approaches alone are very unlikely to rid the garden of rose midge.
This pest requires bold and diligent action if it is to be eliminated and
not become be a chronic problem. Left alone, midge will result in no
flowering from otherwise healthy bushes.
The classic symptoms of a rose midge (Dasineura rhodophaga) attack
are the rose buds that turn brown, shrivel, and disintegrate. The early
signs of an attack may be buds that are deformed or buds that do not
open properly. These little insects have a relatively short life cycle,
approximately two weeks, which make them difficult to control. They
just keep reproducing faster than most people get their necessary
spray applications completed. The pupa over winter in the soil under
infested plants. They begin to emerge in late spring when the soil
becomes warm. This would explain why in some seasons the first flush
of bloom does not seem to be affected by these little pests. The
female lays her eggs in the flower bud, or the tender tissue at the base
of the bud formation. As soon as the eggs hatch the larvae begin to
extract sap from the forming bud. These are very tiny insects, less
than 2 mm, but you may be able to see them with some magnification
or it you have good eyes. They rapidly mature, mate and return to the
soil to start the cycle over. The fly itself does not feed and dies shortly
after mating.
Currently there is only one control that is likely to rid the garden of
rose midge. This is a product containing cyfluthrin. The Penn State
University recommends the formulations of cyfluthrin and imidacloprid,
deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin (Battle GC, Demand CS, Scimitar CS,
Scimitar GC, and Scimitar WP only), and pyrethrins and piperonyl
butoxide listed for rose midge management. The most readily available
formulation is from Bayer. They have two products that can be useful
in the rose garden. The first is Bayer Advanced Power Force Multi-
insect Killer. This is a granular blend that should be applied in the
spring when the bushes begin to leaf. The second product from Bayer
is Bayer Advanced Garden Rose & Flower Insect Killer. This is applied
as a spray. If you have an infestation of rose midge, multiple
applications will be required every 10 days. This is necessary
because of the insect’s rapid and varied reproduction pattern. Don’t
forget to spray the ground around the bushes as well as the foliage if
you have not used the granular product within three months, or to be
more certain that the residual ground concentration is high enough to
be effective. The reason: we want to get the pest no matter at what
stage it is in: as fly, pupa, or larva.
This is one infestation that will require bold action. Organic
approaches alone are very unlikely to rid the garden of rose midge.
This pest requires bold and diligent action if it is to be eliminated and
not become be a chronic problem. Left alone, midge will result in no
flowering from otherwise healthy bushes.
For more information from Penn State about pest and diseases
affecting woody plants, click here to link to their website.
http://paipm.cas.psu.edu/ProblemSolvers/land1ProblSolv.htm
affecting woody plants, click here to link to their website.
http://paipm.cas.psu.edu/ProblemSolvers/land1ProblSolv.htm
Web Master: David McKibben dhmckibben@hotmail.com
Page was lasted edited on 1/6/2008
Copyright © 2008 Pittsburgh Rose Society All rights reserved
Pittsburgh Rose Society
Photos courtesy of the ARS