Could it be earwigs or japanese beetles?

Debbie

I would wager that if you look closely at it, or at least the parts of the roses not yet attacked, you will see little green caterpillars about a cm long or so. They attacked mine earlier this year and within a day or so left me with sticks. I had not noticed them because the roses were so heavily laden with gorgeous white blooms, that I actually could not see many leaves anyway. Suddenly the blooms started to drop and all that was left was the bare stems.

Now, I notice a few leaves coming back. Hopefully, the plant will survive until next year, at which time I will be more vigilant.

If it is the little green worms they are often found on the edge of partially eaten roses. Insecticidal soap once a week for three weeks will do them in. Handpicking in addition is also a good idea. Your roses will survive, although they may be a bit weakened.

Same thing here this year. At the Rose Forum, they call them rose slugs because they devour the leaves in no time.
Insecticidal soap sprayed on the plant will work. Make sure you get the underside of the leaves - if you have any leaves left.
I am working full time this year and do not have the time to check the gardens every day. They stripped my Austins down to their stems, but they are coming back with new leaves at this point.
Nicole.

yup those little green worms, i use dormant spray mixture of 2parts lime sulphar to 1 part horticultural oil to 3litres of water in a sprayer . it stinks at first but the smell diminishes in a day. it works well for the bug and blackspot on my roses. once a month i use if needed. this is definetly done in spring to kill anything that overwintered on your roses. every year this has to be done also a weak rose is twice as likely to be infected as a healthy one so water and feed monthly as roses are heavy feeders in the blooming season. i know mine are and i first start out with epsom salts in spring and then miracle gro shake and feed for 3 months and if they look withered or not blooming that much i will give them more fertilizer . roses are very hard to maintain but they are worth it .

Are these perhaps Rugosa roses?

Rugosa roses and their hybrids can't handle liquid chemical fertilizers or harsh chemical pesticides. Rugosas will often drop all their leaves (defoliate) if you spray or feed them with liquid chemical fertilizers such as Miracle Gro. Leaves will turn yellow and fall off.

Sharon

Leaf Damage on Roses

Have the above on Explorer Series, do not have it on carpet roses in same area. Had no luck with finding any caterpillars however damage persisted. Went out with a flashlight and found slugs right up to the top of the canes.
Never crossed my mind they would be so aggressive. A couple of sessions of hand picking on successive nights made a big difference.
Don't know if that is your problem, but it was ours. Good lock with it.

Rose slugs are very common in Ontario. A rose slug is the premature form of a sawfly. Sawflies are members of the bee/wasp family, and there are different types....ones that lay their ever-so-tiny eggs within leaf axils, and those nasty ones that deposit tiny eggs within canes. Organic or chemical pesticides in liquid form won't prevent the adults from landing, and laying eggs, but will kill their offspring (slugs) on contact.

OTOH, Rotenone powder (a botanical derivative) is mildly toxic to bees, and will discourage the adults from doing just that. It should be applied on canes, and foilage only, and washes off easily with water. It needs to be re-applied every four days (depending on severity), as it loses its efficacy by then.

Not only do I get regular sawflies, but a very nasty *stem* sawfly who likes to deposit a series of bright orange eggs within tender cane shoots, destroying rose buds in the process. Rotenone powder is the only solution to this nasty; the adult doesn't like the powder in its face while it's trying to lay eggs, and avoids landing altogether.

Incisions (black dots) where eggs are laid

The incisions fuse together to form a slit that splits open after a few days, revealing a series of tiny orange eggs

Watch out for this nasty orange stem sawfly in Ontario. It measures 8mm in length.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rose Slug Info & Photos

Please try to avoid insecticide if at all possible, without the bees and other insects there will be no fruit. the bird population will diminish, butterflies will disappear.

I'm in Brisbane have climbing Pierre de Ronsen (think that's what they are called) something is absolutely demolishing my roses over night stripped them completely so I went out trimmed all back to stems and new growth appeared during the week three days later completely stripped and I mean nothing left! How do I stop this I can't see a single pest anywhere help 🆘

Rom, if you start your own thread and post pictures you are more likely to get some help. And bear in mind most posters on Garden Web are based in the US. You might do better asking on an Australian site.