What's eating my cecile brunner climbing rose?

Cecile Brunner Climbing Rose produces masses of small blooms beloved by aphids, thrips, and spider mites in warm spells. As a vigorous climber with dense foliage, it can also harbour sawfly larvae. Aphids colonising the delicate buds in spring are the most frequent complaint from gardeners in both the US and UK.

Pinkish-green colonies packed around flower buds and shoot tips; buds may fail to open or produce distorted blooms. Pinch off heavily infested tips; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil, repeat weekly until clear.

Petals show silver streaking, browning edges, or 'burnt' tips; tiny slender insects visible inside open flowers. Remove and destroy affected blooms promptly; use sticky yellow traps; apply spinosad spray in severe cases.

Fine pale stippling on leaves; bronzed or yellowing foliage in hot, dry spells; fine webbing on undersides. Increase humidity with regular misting or overhead watering; apply miticide or predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis) for serious outbreaks.

Skeletonised patches on leaflets; pale yellow-green larvae feeding in groups on lower leaf surface. Inspect leaf undersides weekly from May; pick off larvae or apply pyrethrin-based spray in early evening.