You may have lady bug nymphs (baby lady bugs). They are small black winged bugs that have a shape similar to an alligator. They will eat the aphids.

I once had a huge aphid explosion and was ready to break organics and get spray. I tried everything, including hosing them off with water. However, it was so hot out, I never did spray. Within a week I noticed hundreds of small black bugs on my roses. They didn't appear to be doing any damage, so I left them. Within a few days all the aphids were gone, and so were the little black bugs. When I finally got around to looking things up in a bug book, I discovered that the black bugs were lady bug nymphs, and they have a voracious appetite for aphids. I am so glad now that I let nature take its course, as I now (after a few years) have a balanced garden.

Sandy

No, I know what the lady bug nymphs look like..not those

Sounds like an adult "male" aphid. Check out the pics in the link below and report back.

Here is a link that might be useful: Aphid Pics

If they are adult aphids they will look in overall appearance like the aphids themselves, except they will have wings (& may be more black, that happens sometimes). Most especially you'll see the two tubes extending from the back of the body the way they do with aphids. If that isn't what you're seeing with the winged insects then they aren't aphids. Aphids are a big focus for predatory insects, including parasitic wasps and flies. The adults of those insects are often black (& winged), too.

I identify insects for a living. If you post a good closeup of what you're seeing I might be able to give you a rough idea of what you're seeing.

Thanks guys..yup adult aphids. Now I know..I saw a small black bug with antenna and wings..a head that looked like two round circle side side by side. He was small..about 1/4 of an inch.He would not get off the leaf. I let him stay...but I need to get my bug book.

I picked off rose slugs too last night. Dang those are hard to see..except for the real big ones. The bugs arrived on my roses this week!

Aphids are much smaller than 1/4 inch. Generally you can assume that anything you see among the aphids is eating them or parasitizing them.

What do rose slugs look like and do they eat foliage or blooms? Do they look like "regular" slugs?

Lynn

But when you add on the length of the wings large ones may be about 1/4" long. The bodies won't be that long, but add on the wing length and they might appear that long. {{gwi:299676}} is a very common aphid (and one that sometimes eats roses) that can approach that size when winged (if you include the wings in your measurement of the aphid's length).

No, rose slugs don't look like regular slugs. Regular slugs are simply snails without shells. "Rose slug" refers to the larval form of an insect called a "sawfly". They're usually pale green and look like some strange little caterpillar. {{gwi:299677}} Here is {{gwi:249876}}

Thanks, York.

Sorry guys..I changed bugs..I have the adult aphids..and then I saw this beetle thing..with wings..I just wondered what it was

Well, I think I have them too. But I have holes eaten through the buds, so that when the bloom opens the petals have holes. Don't think it's the aphids, but what else could it be? I haven't sprayed for anything. Much more worrisome is the extent of Powdery Mildew on everything, any chance it will clear on its own, or do I really have to do work to get rid of it?

Here's a few pics of a ladybug larvae eating an aphid in my garden... Yaaayyy!!!

{{gwi:299682}}
{{gwi:299683}}
{{gwi:299684}}
BC:)

But I have holes eaten through the buds, so that when the bloom opens the petals have holes. Don't think it's the aphids, but what else could it be?

I haven't ever lived in CA, but I believe out there one of your pests is a weevil that feeds on rose flowers the way you're describing your damage.

I have the adult aphids..and then I saw this beetle thing..with wings..I just wondered what it was

Can you post a picture of it? If you can I might be able to take a stab at figuring out what sort of insect it is.

Maele, small holes drilled through the bud is probably the Rose Curculio, which you can look up, a weevil, as York says. There are also certain shield bugs ("stink bugs") that could do this.

AHA! It is a weevil... I had always misidentified those as earwigs... and they are everywhere here. Now I have to figure out what if anything to do about it.

brother cadfael, what fantastic photos! Way cool!