Well, they're kind of out of focus, but I'm pretty sure they're aphids. You can just spray them off with your hose or hand pick them off. I just leave them for the ladybugs and the soldier beetles to feast on them. They don't really do that much damage to the buds or the plant, but they just look awful.

Thank you bethnorcal,

I have never had those before. If they don’t eat my roses I guess I won’t get all worked up over them.

dianela, aphids can be a vector for disease, but a strong stream of water will dislodge them if they're aren't too many. They can get out of control seemingly overnight.I strongly suspect that an aphid infestation on some rootings I kept inside were done in by aphids.

Thank you varporvac,

I went outside and sprayed them some. If they do turn into an infestation with lasrhe numbers is there anything you would recommend spraying?

Are they easily squished if you run your fingers over the bud? That's where I always see them, and I squish as many as I can before they suck the bud dry. Super tiny things, but always in a gang.

You can also dip a rag in den. alcohol. That works well. Usually I hardly have any outside, so hopefully you'll find the same.

Aphids. Soapy water spray will kill them.

Thank you everyone for the advise. I went outside to squished them and washed the rest off. Sorry when I asked about “spraying” in my mind I was thinking of chemical way of exterminating the ugly little bugs =). It seems this has not been necessary for you all, so I will continue to use my garden hose and mechanical removal.

Dianela

Daniela,don't use any chemical insecticides. You run the risk of killing off the aphids, but also the insects that eat the aphids. Worse yet,IME insecticide can really backfire on you: it'll be strong enough to kill the small, weak and soft-bodied aphids, but far more damaging pests will just take their place, or even be strengthened,developing immunity to the poison. This happened to me; I used to spray,got rid of the aphids all right, but every year my roses looked worse and worse: more bugs, thrips, etc than ever before. I gave up spraying and now things are once again looking good. What's more, that rose looks like its growing right next to your house; you do not want to use poison there. Aphids are just not all that harmful, in the long run.

thank you bart,

I will stick to the non-chemical methods to deal with the aphids. I don't want to kill the beneficial insects in the area.

Dianela

I don't know if you get the soldier beetles where you live. But if you happen to see a bunch of black bugs with red heads flitting around in your garden, you can be happy in knowing they will wipe out the aphids within a few days. I love it when they show up. In the evenings they fly around all over the garden in search of aphids. And plus the ladybugs will be there too.

I always seem to have a bad aphid infestation in early spring. Then, a couple of days later a flock of house sparrows shows up and they clean up my roses. I watch through binoculars as they hoover up the aphids flying from one rose to another, very methodical. But then I feed them during the cold months and always have fresh water ready, so they owe me...