Garden Q&A: What's eating my roses and can it be stopped?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

My roses are being eaten by something which is taking notches out of the sides of the leaves. What can I do to stop this?

ANSWER

Nothing. What I mean is, there is nothing that you need to do as the damage you describe is a classic symptom of leafcutter bee activity. These are important pollinators and apart from creating some untidy-looking leaves, they aren’t doing any damage to the plant. 

The overall vigour of your roses shouldn’t be affected. 

These small bees are actually amazing to watch in action as they remove perfectly formed notches from the leaves and bring them away to make a nest. 

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

So, do nothing, your roses will still bloom, and you can relax in the knowledge that you are doing your bit for biodiversity.

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