Friday, June 18, 2010

Oops! Wrong bug


I must confess.  I have been blaming the Japanese Beetle for the destruction of my roses over the years.  I may have to hang up my Master Gardener badge as I have misidentified the pest.   The voracious destroyer of my roses and peonies is none other than the Rose Chafer.   I have to appologize to fellow blogger Carolyn at Aiken House and Garden for my blunder in a recent email conversation about them destroying my peony bloom.


The Rose Chafer or Rose Curculio or Rose Weevil drills holes in the buds.   I usually find a big mound of them copulating all over my blooms and having a gay old time.  I give them the two finger squish that eases my frustration.   My friend an fellow blogger A Garden of Threads told me that Organic Raid will work on them.  I will also try my spray of neem oil, dish soap and water.  


Since the Rose Chafer overwinters in the soil I will look for planting companions such at catmint, chamomile, lavender, rosemary, thyme to underplant around the roses.  These plants act as a repellent. 


I feel better now.  I humbly apologise for my error.    Valerie

2 comments:

Maia T said...

So, you have pests too.
Despite its name, I've never seen a rose chafer on roses but many of them on tulips and other flowers, here by us.
Thank you very much for answering to my problem with the green bug, I couldn't see any part of the plant damaged but the whole plant was dying.
Have a great weekend!

A Garden of Threads said...

No problem Val it is hard to indenity all those pesky pests. There are sooo many eating the garden every day.

Hoping You Have a Blessed Easter