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Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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Posted by
dewyd Fla. 10-B (
My Page) on
Thu, Jul 15, 10 at 21:19
| My rose bush leaves look like swiss cheese. I saw a bee cleaving out perfect small holes in my rose leaves and flying away with the small part it cleaved out. Most of the leaves are carved out like this. I really don't want to use chemicals. I got pissed one day and sprayed one bush with OFF! Thought the bee's wouldn't like the taste of it. Not a good move, I killed the leaves for the bee's. I noticed the occasional bee flying into a tiny hole in the ground. I sprayed some chemicals into the hole. Any suggestions? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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- Posted by jim1961 z 5/6 central pa (My Page) on
Thu, Jul 15, 10 at 21:41
Those are leafcutter bees and they are building there nest with the rose leaf material. I just let them alone here.
I've included information on them below. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Leafcutter bee
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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| Those are leafcutter bees. They're harmless, valuable pollinators. Once a year, when they build their nests, they take some circular pieces of leaf. No big deal, and they are fascinating to watch. The LAST thing you want to do is kill them! Leave them alone, and when they're done nest-building, they will no longer damage leaves. Jeri |
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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| Yep once they have finished they wouldn't take anymore. Pollinators are very important and I know they are seeing drops in bee populations. I have always found them neat to watch. |
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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| They only like the softer leaves. If you have any roses with a leathery type leaf, you may only see a partial cut on one leaf. If the bee truly bothers you, follow it to the nest and hose it down. The bee may move on. |
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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| They decimated my roses this year, but once I found out what they were I just let them bee. ;) I'm getting lots of new leaves now and no more damage, so just the bottom leaves look like swiss cheese. So many bees are dying that I don't want to harm a single pollinator ... I have tons of wasps here and don't even bother them. Darlene |
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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- Posted by dewyd 10-B S. Fla. (My Page) on
Mon, Jul 19, 10 at 15:17
Thanks for all the replies. Jim thanks for the link, exactly what the bee's and leaves look like, interesting. Practically every leave was cut out on the 3 rose bushes I have. Doesn't look like it would be too good for the plant though. I guess I should in the words of the Beetles..."just let it bee"?
Thanks for the replies, Dewyd. |
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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| what I wouldent give to have a leaf cutter this year. I fought off the aphids and then the ants but VERY few bees. I plant a few things to bring them in and I am heartbroken because I am missing them this year. the "damage" they do has never really hurt my roses and I am happy to see them come back to visit my fresh blooms. I am begging anyone who sees them to please just leaf them bee. |
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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| What would cause the bees to devour the rose itself (rather than the leaves)? Is there something in the petals they like? And are they cutter bees or some other kind? |
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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- Posted by hoovb z9 Southern CA (My Page) on
Sat, May 10, 14 at 0:15
| they use the pieces of leaf for nesting material for their eggs. they do not eat the leaves. |
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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| Leaf cutter bees don't (at least not to my experience) touch blooms. Mrs.wiggley, perhaps start a new thread to talk about the problem that you are seeing. Sounds more like Japanese beetle damage. |
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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| I have 5 new tree roses on my back deck and I noticed all 5 of them have half eaten holes on the leaves. I've read here it's the cutter bees doing the damage. I sprayed something on the trees for insects so now I'm worried I may have hurt the bee and given it poison to take back to the nest. Any answers for me? |
RE: Bee's eating my rose leaves, what's up?
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| >> what I wouldn't give to have a leaf cutter this year. ... VERY few bees. I plant a few things to bring them in Some sources say they can be enticed to stay around by supplying housing like one would do for mason bees. |
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