Raspberry: Rose stem girdler

Biology

The rose stem girdler is a flat-headed, wood-boring beetle that is about 6 mm (~1⁄4″) long. When it is young, it is black with a coppery red/bronze thorax. Later, the beetles are dark copper to greenish copper. The larvae are cream-colored. When the primocanes start to bloom, the larvae can be found feeding just below the bark. This feeding girdles the canes. Swollen stem galls are seen on some varieties. The girdling from this insect pest may cause the primocanes to die. If the canes are not killed, the next season’s floricanes may not produce much fruit. The feeding damage weakens the canes making them more prone to winter damage.

Management Options

Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for successful plant problem management.

Non-chemical Management

Select non-chemical management options as your first choice!

• Cut out the affected canes below the swelling at the point of new growth and burn the affected cane, if allowed.
• Affected canes can also be cut off and destoryed in the winter or early spring before the beetle appears.

Chemical Management

IMPORTANT: Visit Home and Garden Fact Sheets for more information on using pesticides.

• None recommended.

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