Rose leafhoppers: everything for the natural control of the pest

Rose leafhoppers have no good intentions for our roses. We reveal how to recognise the pests and how to control rose leafhoppers naturally.

Wondering why some of your roses’ leaves show an unusual pattern of bright little spots that eventually coalesce into white areas? Rose leafhoppers (Edwardsiana rosae) leave such patterns when they attack roses. We show you how to recognise an infestation and how to fight it naturally.

How to recognise rose leafhoppers

The rose leafhopper itself is an elongated insect about three millimetres small, white to yellowish-green in colour. Rose leafhoppers usually sit on the underside of leaves and are therefore difficult to detect. They pierce individual cells of the leaves and suck them out. These sucked out cells fill with air and then appear white on the leaf surface. Therefore, rose leaves infested with rose leafhoppers show many small white spots on the upper side of the leaf. By these it is best to recognise leafhoppers on roses. Characteristic are the sharp edges of these small dots or areas. Initially, the spots are mainly seen on the leaf veins and then spread over the leaf.

Infestation by spider mites (Tetranychidae) may because similar symptoms but the webs typical of spider mites are absent in rose leafhoppers infestations. In addition, the adult pests jump away when they touch the infested leaf, which is also a good differentiation from a spider mite infestation. Larval skins of rose leafhopper larvae on the underside of leaves also help to identify cicada infestations.
If the infestation is severe, the leaves dry up and fall off early. Rose leafhoppers occur primarily in sunny and dry locations beginning in May.

Tip: If you have climbing roses in your garden in addition to noble roses, control especially the climbing roses. In fact, infestation by the rose leafhopper is usually first seen on the climbing rose.

How to get rid of rose leafhoppers naturally

Often, a rose leafhopper infestation is not noticed. Unfortunately, the little animal transmits rose mosaic virus by sucking on various plants. This virus weakens your rose even after the pest is gone, which is why controlling rose leafhoppers is recommended.

If the decoction of nettles did not help, you should fight the infestation more effectively. Synthetic and biological plant protection products are commercially available for this purpose. Synthetic agents use different active ingredients: acetamiprid, fenpyroximate, and flupyradifuron, for example. Not infrequently, they are offered in combination with oils such as rapeseed oil to further enhance the effect. Some biocides are based on pyrethrins. These are isolated from chrysanthemums but their origin says nothing about their harmfulness: Pyrethrins are highly toxic to beneficial insects and aquatic organisms. To protect beneficial insects and the environment from synthetic and natural poisons, we recommend that you control rose leafhoppers in the home garden with gentler means.

Particularly effective and environmentally friendly in the control of rose leafhoppers are preparations based on neem. Neem preparations are made from the seeds of the neem tree and the active ingredient azadirachtin is absorbed by the pests when they suck. The small insects lose their appetite within a few hours. In addition, the development of larvae is disturbed, which is why eventually all generations of leafhoppers on the plant are damaged and die.

Tip: Neem oil also works great for infestations of aphids on roses.

To prevent infestation in the future, we recommend that you pay attention to a balanced supply of nutrients to your roses to optimally maintain resistance to pests. Special rose fertiliser – such as our Plantura Rose Food – will help you provide optimal care for your roses. In addition, pruning the rose back in spring reduces the number of eggs that have overwintered in the bark and also helps you prevent this. You can also learn correct rose pruning from us.

Summary: Combat rose cicadas naturally

• Nettle broth helps with a light infestation
• Biological plant protection products such as neem preparations are recommended for heavy infestations
• Prevention through good nutrient supply and pruning in the spring

Rose Food, 1.5kg

(5/5)

• For beautifully flowering roses in pots & flower beds
• Prevents common rose diseases & ensures healthy growth
• Long-lasting fertiliser that is free from animal products - child & pet friendly

£12.99

Shop now!

With these tips, you will have the best conditions to fight the rose cicada naturally. See our dedicated article on roses for more exciting tips on how to care for your roses. This way you can enjoy your roses in full bloom.