What's eating my pat austin rose?

Pat Austin, David Austin's vivid copper-orange rose, is attractive to aphids on its abundant new growth and to Japanese beetles in the US, which target the open cup-shaped blooms. Rose sawfly larvae appear in late spring. Deer and rabbits cause cane damage in rural settings. Aphids are the most consistent year-round threat.

Soft-bodied colonies on new buds and shoot tips cause curled, sticky foliage and weakened blooms. Knock off with water spray; insecticidal soap weekly; encourage beneficial insects with companion planting.

Adults aggregate on open flowers and skeletonize foliage rapidly in summer. Hand-pick at dawn into soapy water; use neem oil as deterrent; apply milky spore to surrounding lawn.

Larvae skeletonize leaf undersides in late spring, leaving translucent then dead patches. Check undersides weekly; hand-remove larvae; spray pyrethrin if infestation is widespread.

Clean angled gnaw marks on lower canes and stems, especially in early spring. Wrap lower stems with wire mesh tree guards; use repellent granules; fence the bed if rabbits are persistent.