Thrips??? I've seen some thrips, on light-colored roses this odd spring.

And I have had some guard petals damaged by morning fogs, preventing blooms from opening, until I removed them.

Kippy, I'd guess thrips, too. Try googling "thrips rose damage" and see if your buds match the photos. Carol

Preying Mantis seemed to have helped my Thrips problem. They eat everything and anything, even tiny Thrips.

Hmm Might have to find me some Mantis. I know we have some small bugs that I can find in the petals and I do get a rose or two that something munches, guessing the new roses in the new areas are on the menu. Funny cause roses just feet away are fine

If it is thrips, they really concentrate on light-colored roses.

I have seen, tho, some oddities. For instance, Sombreuil, Cl., gets thrips here, but the blooms never show any damage.

Thrips & rose midge do in my roses sometimes.
Rose midge either leaves a dry dusty begining of a bud or this. The thrip bores into the base of the bud and eats from the inside!

{{gwi:274033}}