Types

• Aphids are one of the most common insect problems in saltspray rose plantings. These small, soft-bodied, greenish insects are often found inside buds and on the undersides of leaves. Japanese beetles are about ½-inch long. They have metallic-green bodies and bronze-colored wing covers. Mites, another common saltspray rose pest, are tiny arthropods that cannot be clearly seen without magnification.
  
  

Effects

• Aphids pierce saltspray rose tissue with their mouthparts and feed on the plant's sap. Heavy infestations shrivel and discolor new leaves. Japanese beetles feed on the upper leaves of saltspray rose shrubs, creating brown foliage. Mites feed on the plant's sap, causing mottled yellow leaves and defoliation.
  
  

Control

• Gardeners control aphid, Japanese beetle and mite infestations with insecticides. Handpick Japanese beetles from plants. Purchase or encourage biological predators that feed on mites and aphids and apply dormant oils to rose bushes to smother mite eggs.