Question
I live in Pittsburgh, and for some reason the petals on the buds of my tea roses turn a dark red/black and do not bloom as well as they used to.  What happened?

Answer
What you describe can happen when the weather is very hot and the rose bush doesn't get enough water but there is also another reason why buds don't open well. There is a tiny little winged insect called a rose midge or capsid bug. These very small insects lay their eggs at the base of a rose bud and when the eggs hatch, they feed on the buds which causes them to be damaged or just blacken and not open. A rose midge is a bright green bug and if you take a piece of paper and tap the end of the rose on it, if they are still there,  you will be able to see them. Any insecticide will get rid of them just follow the directions on the package. Hope this helps. Lynnette