Name: Suzanne/Sue Sebastopol, CA (Zone 9a) Sunset Zone 15
Rose Curculio or Rose Weevil.
Rose weevils damage roses in several ways. First, by making feeding punctures with their long beaks on rose buds, calyx, and peduncle, and secondly, the weevils lay their eggs in the buds and the larvae feed on the petals and receptacle area. If any flowers manage to open, the petals show these awful small holes made by the adults, ruining the bloom.
Regular handpicking of the adult weevils and removal of damaged buds and spent blossoms will prevent continuing damage and will prevent severe populations the following year. They drop readily from plants and feign death when disturbed so I have been using a bowl of soapy water held under the buds when hunting them. I also just read that scouting and handpicking should also be done on other hosts such as raspberries and boysenberries, and blackberries.
