BULLETIN OF THE 
No. 90 
Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology, L. O. Howard, Chief 
May 19, 1914. 
THE ROSE APHIS. 
By H. M. Russell, 
Entomological Assistant, Truck Crop and Stored Product Insect Investigations. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Because of its beauty, and its hardiness as an outdoor plant, the rose 
has long been one of the most popular ornamental flowers in this 
country. Yet in spite of the appreciation given it the blossoms and 
young foliage are frequently permitted to suffer great damage from 
the rose aphis (Macrosiphwn rosx L.), whereas a few minuses' atten- 
tion on the part of the owner each week would remedy the injury 
and greatly increase the beauty of the bloom and foliage. This com- 
mon rose pest was first described by Linnseus 2 in 1735, and since 
that time has often been mentioned in systematic works by. both 
European and American writers. However, the writer has seen no 
account of it in American entomological publications in which the 
life history, habits, or control have been treated with anything 
approaching completeness. The writer, therefore, in 1910, while sta- 
tioned at Los Angeles and under the direction of Dr. F; H. Chitten- 
den, began a study of the life history and habits of the rose aphis 
in its occurrence on the outdoor roses so largely grown in southern 
California. At a later period the work was carried on to some extent 
in Washington, D. C. While this study is still incomplete, enough 
has been learned to give the rose lover a fair understanding of the 
habits of this insect and of the means for controlling it. 
RECENT RECORDS. 
During the fall and winter of 1909 and the spring of 1910 the 
writer found the rose aphis attacking roses and causing extensive 
damage to the buds and blossoms throughout the city and in the 
vicinity of Los Angeles. On October 21, 1909, when first observed, 
1 This bulletin is of interest to rose growers everywhere. 
2 Linnaeus, C, System a Natur., ed. 12, vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 734, 1767. 
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