Holes in rose leaves: causes and what to do

The most common causes of holes in rose leaves are Japanese beetles (daytime skeletonizers), rose sawfly larvae (pale, translucent leaf-mining), and slugs (nighttime irregular holes). Deer cause wholesale removal of foliage rather than individual holes. Leafhoppers cause small, r

By Thomas Joseph Published 2026-06-11 Updated 2026-06-13 Reviewed by Thomas Joseph 7 min read

Rose foliage damage is one of the most visible mid-season garden problems, and the insect roster of rose eaters is longer than most plants. Identifying the specific culprit determines whether treatment will help or whether management focus belongs elsewhere.

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Quick diagnostic table

Damage pattern	Timing	Additional clues	Cause
Skeletonized leaves (midrib and veins remain)	Daytime, June–August	Bronze-green beetles with white tufts visible	Japanese beetles
Small pale "windows" in leaves; leaf turns brown	Spring, May–June	Pale green larvae on undersides of leaves	Rose sawfly (Endelomyia aethiops)
Irregular holes, anywhere in leaf	Night	Slime trails possible; worst in cool, moist weather	Slugs
Entire leaf or branch stripped	Any time	No pest visible during day; deer sign nearby	Deer
Many tiny ragged holes in newer leaves	Day	Small pale wedge-shaped insects on stems	Leafhoppers
Large, clean-edged semicircular pieces removed from leaf margins	Day	Sweat bees or leafcutter bees hovering nearby	Leafcutter bees

Reader questions

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Are Japanese beetles worse some years than others?

Yes. Per Penn State Extension, "Japanese beetle populations fluctuate with larval survival over winter, which depends on soil moisture during the summer egg-laying period." Wet summers produce more grubs; dry summers reduce populations. Applying milky spore granular or parasitic nematodes to lawn areas reduces grub populations over multiple seasons but effects are slow to accumulate.

When do Japanese beetles stop damaging roses?

Per Penn State Extension, "adult Japanese beetle activity lasts approximately 6–8 weeks, typically June through early August in the Mid-Atlantic." The damage intensity peaks in the first 4 weeks of the emergence period.

Can I use a systemic insecticide to prevent Japanese beetle damage?

Imidacloprid (sold as Bayer Tree & Shrub) applied as a soil drench protects rose foliage systemically from Japanese beetles for the season. However, per Penn State Extension, "systemic neonicotinoids applied to flowering plants can harm pollinators that visit flowers." Apply in fall or very early spring before flowering begins; avoid applications to blooming plants.

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Holes in rose leaves: causes and what to do

Quick diagnostic table

Holes in rose leaves: causes and what to do

Quick diagnostic table

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