Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Controlling Rose Pests: Tips For Managing Rose Curculio Weevils

By Stan V. (Stan the Roseman) Griep American Rose Society Certified Consulting Rosarian – Rocky Mountain District We are taking a look at one of the bad guy insects in the rose beds here, the rose curculio or rose weevil (Merhynchites bicolor). This little menace is a dark reddish and black weevil with a distinctive long snout on its head. The rose curculio is about 1/4 inch (5-6 mm) in length and its long snout is used for drilling into and feeding on flower buds. Yellow, light pink and white colored roses seem to be its preference to feed upon. Rose Curculio Damage If your rose blooms have petals that look a bit like Swiss cheese, have young buds that have failed to open and are dried up, or have stems that are broken just below the bud, it is likely that you have been visited by rose curculio weevils.

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