Question
I have a serious case of rose slugs. They are tiny and usually under the leaves so I can't pick them because I have about 20 rose bushes. The baking soda recipe has no worked. I tried using a Bayer 3 in 1 systemic fertilizer and insecticide which you mix and pour directly to the root, you don't spray it to the whole rose...but it did not do a thing and the product was quite expensive. I was thinking of using Ortho Rose Pride for disease and insect control but I know that stuff is strong, the smell is pretty bad. Anyway, what's your advice on getting rid of these rose slugs...my rose bushes are becoming skeleton, the leaves are all chewed out REALLY bad. HELP!

thanks,
Claudia

Answer
Female sawflies (the adult life stage of rose slugs) lay individual eggs in slits along the margins of leaves. When the larvae hatch they begin feeding on the leaf. Once they are fully grown, they drop to the ground and pupate in cocoonlike chambers in the soil, then emerge as sawflies. Rose slugs look more like caterpillars than slugs. They are the larvae of primitive wasps called sawflies.  For  large infestations you may need to spray the leaves thoroughly on both sides with insecticidal soap, neem, or horticultural oil. Most insecticides are not effective against rose slugs because thy need to be smouthered.  Safers Insecticidal Soap will solve the problem.  Don't forget to also spray all around the base of the rose bush as that is where they are coming from. When these catterpilars start they can only make small holes but as they get bigger then the damage is increased.