Aphids. Squish 'em or blast 'em with a strong stream of water from a garden hose.

DW - in answer to your question: the latter. I see one at 7:30 - 8:00.

There are also skeletons left as the aphids molted (the small white blotches at center).

At 7:30 the bug looks like the south end of a north traveling bug, and from the shape, it might be an assassin bug or wheel bug.

stillanntn - do those eat aphids?

Jackie

Thanks all, I have cropped the photo so hopefully this helps! :-)

There are also parasitized aphid mummies in the photo - those pale roundish blobs in the center of the bud. Between them and the assassin bug, I'd think things were more or less under control :-))

Apparently fall is when there are both males and females and the laid eggs overwinter. I wonder if the two different looks among the aphids are male and female or if the amphorae shaped ones are the females that aren't about to lay parthenocarpic eggs (eggs that hatch without having been fertilized.)

A few pictures of the "rose aphid" so we may know the enemy