Have Nots Found it yet. Unfortunately. :-(

I lose canes to what Kim I think called flat head apple borers. I have only seen the cane damage and had to prune the canes off. I could do without them happily too.

No, I don't know either . I never knew they exist here in FL .
jin

So tell how this works... When I cut back I was told never to take more than a 1/3 of the bush back.... it looks like the borers entered maybe 1 2 and 3 feet off the ground. One bush has every cane bored into (found that out this morning when I went to cut out the other bad limb.... these things are vociferous). Do I, can I, should I cut this bush back to the bud union - especially in the hot humid summer. I know people up north cut back and have winter die back to the ground... but I never thought about that. I have just tried to strictly stay to the 1/3 rule.

These roses are on fortuniania.

Thanks for helping the paranoid scaredy cat who is afraid of killing her roses.

Sharon

Do Raspberry Cane Borers also like Blackberries? We have wild blackberries all over this end of Florida. I'm forever ripping the thorny vines from my flowerbeds.

I’m from an area where roses routinely die back to the ground. Even here I’m not a big fan of having to cut a rose all the way back in the hottest part of the summer. That’s a lot of energy needed in an all ready stressed rose.

In my opinion I‘d forget that cur back rule. When a cane has been compromised wether it’s from an insect, disease or weather it will not be healthy. That’s one reason we cut back to healthy pith.

I have many different types of borers. The ones I have now start at the top the cane. They do not enter thru a cut end thou I do have that type as well. I do seal all of my cut ends. The borers that are out there right now enter the soft new growth. When they enter down lower I don’t always find them until pruning.

If your insect is the raspberry cane bore you will see this; https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/controlling_raspberry_cane_borer

My thought is if the bores are are all ready down low on the cane you need to cut until you find them or they can kill the rose anyway.Good luck Then next time you prune always cut until you see healthy pith. Then be sure there are no holes In the pith not even very tiny ones.

A side note... borers will also enter other plants such as phlox, rudbeckia and hydrangea among others.

I don't know if they like blackberries.... I never grew them.... however, they might like them.... my neighbor has some... I actually wish I had them.... I love to EAT blackberries... one of MY FAVORITE fruits to eat.

Thanks Patty..... when I cut back I normally put the glue on it.... I see someone said to use nail polish... and will try that.... a few years ago I had the bee borers and started doing the glue to keep them from entering.... but now these new borers are drilling holes down in the bottom part of the canes.....

Sharon, I too think you are stuck cutting the damaged part off and hoping the rose can rebound. Those borers that enter a cane lower down can enter through a sunburned spot or damaged cane. Leaving the bad part on won't do much and could extend the damage I read.