Sherry, the leaves with the webs definitely have mites.
You can look at the underside of the leaf, with a magnifying glass if necessary, and see that there's a grainy "salt and pepper" appearance there.
Treat with blasting water from underneath, and I'd do it every couple of days. You may lose some of those leaves, but that's not fatal.
The mites, however, are not responsible for the holes.
That's something else -- and I wouldn't be hitting them with insecticide right now, because it may only make the mite problem worse.
Have you looked for rose slugs?

Jeri

Sherry -- I identify TOTALLY with your situation. This record-breaking hot, VERY dry spring/summer has created ideal conditions for spider mites. They are EVERYWHERE in my garden -- even on plants that I thought they would have avoided. Over the weekend, I emptied four large, carefully planted window boxes that very quickly deteriorated beyond recovery -- thanks to spider mites. Now I'm struggling to save a number of (mostly new &/or containerized) roses that are infested. Remember that mites are NOT 'insects' per se -- they're arachnids (spiders). Consequently, they're impervious to many common insecticides. Look for and apply a miticide, if that's the extreme route you chose to take.

IMO, the best intervention is a fine, but forceful, water spray to the underside of the leaves, delivered as frequently as you can manage. Spider mites can't tolerate moisture. I'd be embarrassed to tell you what my spray schedule is, but it's frequent, and it's working.

Looks like spider mites to me. I know them well. Their populations explode in hot, dry weather.

The least toxic defense is to wash your plants clean with a strong blast of plain water from a hose. Repeat regularly to discourage their return.

Going up the ladder of toxicity, you could try insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils, pyrethrin based insecticides, all the way up to true miticides (which are expensive).

Insecticidal soaps and pyrethrins are contact killers only and won't kill the eggs. Horticultural oils are very easy and pleasant to use and kill the eggs, too. BUT they burn the plants in hot weather. (I love using horticultural oil for indoor plants that get spider mites or other pests. Just spray them in the bathtub so as not to get oil everywhere.)

I've used most of the above. Not the heavy duty stuff. I draw the line at stuff I should wear gloves and breathing masks for.

Spider mites are a PAIN. If I were you, I'd start with hosing the plants clean on a regular basis and see if that does the trick.

Oh, thank you, Jeri and Jaxondel!! It's 9:40PM, but I'm headed out to zap 'em with water spray. I'm wondering..is it the dry, hot air that they like? I tested my micro-sprinklers and they're working, so the ground should be consistently moist. And Jeri, I didn't see any rose slugs, but, of course, that doesn't mean I would know them if I saw them. Have to check out Baldo.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

Great information, Bellegallica. I'm off to find a hose nozzle with a fine spray. I opted for the fire-hose type which doesn't have a fine spray. Where's a flashlight when you need one? Thanks again.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

Sherry, go ahead and use the fire hose.
If you blow off some leaves, they were likely going anyhow.

I have used a miticide, but gave it up after it melted the surface of the plastic measuring spoon. (Yeah. REALLY!)

Rose slugs are little, soft green worms. They're always on the underside of the leaves, and they POP quite satisfactorily. You may have something completely "other," because Lord Knows, we probably don't have the same pests.

But hot, dry conditions? THAT I understand.
Water. And you know, our garden's messy, and overgrown right now with iceplant (don't ask!) but we have lots of lizards and birds, and rarely see mites.

Jeri

Couldn't find the other nozzle, so I used the fire hose. Turned out it has a very nice sharp fine spray that I'm sure shot those buggers to the moon. Jeri, you mean lizards eat mites?

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

Sherry, get yourself a water wand. One of the things the link below takes you to a photo of. Wash the under sides of the foliage as well as the tops and in short order, mites will be history. You'll also do in a lot of the caterpillars eating holes in your leaves. Spray the roses when it's best for your climate. Early AM if the humidity will dry up before the temps are right for BS and rust, later if mildew isn't an issue. I can't tell you because I don't live there and am not dealing with your conditions, but washing the plants with something you can spray water upside down inside the plant works. Been there. You can also probably cut back on your water through the sprinklers with the additional water from washing the plants.

Yes, mites like the drier, dustier air and leaves. Your micro sprinklers won't have much effect on that unless they spray the foliage underneath and rinse the plants from the top. You should be surprised how quickly you can get the critters under control without chemicals. Have fun! Kim

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:285419}}

I can't stand mites and aphids. Has anyone here tried using a soluable sulphur spray to treat mites? Does it work? The reason I ask is because the water price will going to increase in my country. We still have water restriction, therefore, a daily hosing of my roses would not be an ideal solution.

Jimmy, first, I hope your medical issues are better under control and you're feeling better!

Second, daily washing isn't necessary. You could do it once a week or every ten days and it would have good effect. I completely understand the water issue, both restrictions and cost! If you water by hand, washing the foliage to accomplish the watering would be sufficient. It has been for me. Kim

I'm feeling much better. Thank you for asking,Kim.

I grow all my roses in containers and mite population can become so extreme, I had to pull off all the leaves from my roses. In a few weeks later, new healthy leaves will sprout again.

If the companion plants are keeping rain off the leaves, that would encourage mites. Roses under an eave or a dense overstory of foliage will get mites before other plants do.

Sherry -- Since it looks like you have heavy infestation, I feel I should re-emphasize the need to treat with the water spray as frequently as possible until you have the problem under control, and then on a periodic basis for a month or so thereafter. If the rose is large, leafy and fairly dense, you're not likely to hit the underside of every leaf every time you spray. New mites are hatching continuously and going immediately to work.

Also, if you're experiencing the almost constant, warm light winds that are typical for much of Fl, that water spray will evaporate in minutes, leaving nothing to deter the surviving mites. Some of my roses had infested leaves close to the ground where it was difficult to reach the undersides with the water spray. Those leaves I pinched off. Of all my established roses, the mites seem to have a preference for Portlands -- they were going to town on Comte de Chambord, Rose de Rescht & Marchesa Boccella. Odd, huh?

Sherry,

This may not be what is eating the leaves on your roses, but last summer I discovered that June bugs were responsible for eating my roses' leaves. I actually saw some June bugs eating the leaves on roses in my pot ghetto on the patio at night (the patio lights allowed me to see them quite clearly).

Howard Garrett and Malcom Beck say "There are over 100 species of June Bugs in Texas..."in their book "Texas Bug Book the Good, the Bad & the Ugly". Their focus is on the species that causes damage to lawns while in the larval stage, and they add "Adult beetles chew leaves at night but are not highly destructive."

When I lived in the Dallas area, I had more roses and a lot more June bugs, but I never had problems with them eating rose leaves. Here in the Houston area, we don't seem to have as many June bugs, but I am assuming that they are a slightly different species here that are particularly fond of roses. When I have seen them or their damage on the roses, I have noticed that they seem to prefer the older, thicker leaves and tend to leave the new soft growth alone.

Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: June Bugs

Sherri I don't think Lizards eat mites.
They're just part of a very diverse living environment in this garden, that includes a lot of birds, as well. I do wish we had froggy-lagers, but it's too dry for them.

Anyhow, it all seems to balance out so that mites are rare, and even aphids don't last long.

Jeri

After reading this blog I defiantly have spider mites; however I live in an apartment so hosing the plants is not an option. I have 2 questions, If I cut the stem off to where the mites are no more, will I damage the plant and 2 how do I know when the plant is too far from recovery? Is it when the stem is fully brown/gray and dry or is there still hope then....Suggestions?

You can try spraying with either a horticultural oil spray or an insecticidal soap spray. It's necessary to completely (but lightly) coat the underside of the leaves, plus the stems and maybe the soil surface. Repeat weekly. You can also use a sprayer to spritz the foliage with plain water every day. If you can expose the pots to rain, that would help, but on a balcony, maybe you can't.

Next year, just spritzing with water could be enough to prevent the problem from developing.

Dry and shriveled stems are dead stems.

You can get one of those hand sprayers with the vacuum pumps that you can lock for continuous spraying--with occasional stops for a "recharge". They come in various sizes and with/without wands. People use them to mix and spray various pesticides, but you can fill them with plain water if that's all you want to use.

I like using horticultural oil, but read the directions. Be careful about spraying in really hot weather.

the mites have very soft bodies and are easily squished without dammaging leaves. If you spray with water, start fairly low down the plant - the mites will all migrate really fast to the highest point - go for them then. Roses can sustain a fair amount of spidermite damage but curcubits are mite heaven - they crisp immediately. BTW, I use hort.oils a lot but wouldn't be doing it with hot dry sun as the leaves will fry.
PS, am having a spelling blindspot with 'damaging? dammaging? damadging?

Campanula, I like both of your damaging alternatives - they seem more catastrophic, somehow!

Laura

How about damnaging? Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

Cath