Types

• the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program website indicates that aphids are the most common pest in rose plantings. Other insects that attack roses include leafhoppers, spider mites and scale.
  
  

Effects

• Aphids feed on new plant growth and can kill the plant. Leafhoppers feed on the undersides of leaves and leaf stems. They cause whitish stippling, or small dots, on rose foliage. Spider mites also occur on the undersides of leaves; they cause bleaching, stippling and defoliation on rose plantings. Scale weaken plants and cause cosmetic damage.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• The University of California IPM recommends controlling aphid infestations by spraying infected rose plantings with a steady, forceful stream of water. Neem oil and horticultural soaps help control aphid, spider mite, leafhopper and scale populations. Natural predators such as lady beetles and rose-specific insecticides also help control pest insect problems.