QuestionAre these aphids or something else? The are not black but light colored and are causing the roses to open with ragged prtals. I have used a combination fugicide/insecticide. What do you suggest. I am in Zone 7 and this has been a very mild winter. This is only my 3rd year to have roses and this has not happened previously.
AnswerYou are right, they are aphids and the sticky dots are the honeydew they excrete after eating the roses. You may also see some ants as the ants like the honey and take it back to their ant hill but don't damage the rose. Your spray should have solved the problem for you. Always with any insecticide spray, don't forget to spray under the leaves as that is where many of the insects eat. Mild winters are really annoying as the insects never get killed.
