Question
took a while to determine my problem with my beautiful roses which did not bloom at all in spite of the healthy, abundant foliage, the tips were not allowed to mature:  rose midge.  information to rid my rosebed of this infestation is not easily found.  as spring approaches in WNY i desperately need information now as apparently it is crucial to start treating the soil as soon as it warms up.  I'm hoping that this year we'll have a solution.  I've learned a lot but need a pesticide that will work (Diazanon was suggested but it's no longer on market).  Help.

Answer
Hi Ann, sorry to hear of your midge barrage. They are a real pain to deal with, but not impossible.

Azadirachtin neem extract, sold as Azatin or Bio-neem, applied to the soil around the roses, stops the midges from being able to feed. They have a very short live span, so this will not kill immediately, but will stop future generations (a generation lasts less than 2 weeks).
Also, immediately remove any damaged or suspicious growth you see on your roses and throw the prunings and any fallen leaves away.  If you put a plastic cover over the soil under your roses, when the midge larvae drop to the ground they are exposed and unable to pupate. It's not terribly attractive, but a plastic sheet is better than deformed roses.

Neem extract, and/or Bayer's Advanced Garden Rose & Flower Insect Killer, or Bayer's Advanced Power Force Multi-insect Killer, have worked best in recent trials since diazinon was removed from the market.  They must be applied every 10 days according to directions, for the entire growing season to get rid of the midges.  Also, remember to keep any fallen leaves, etc. from your roses removed asap.

Hope this helps and best of luck with your roses this season!
Eirinn