Green caterpillar with red head eating rose leaves

June 27, 2015 9:08 AM

What is this bug? It's an inch-long caterpillar with a distinct red head, chewing holes in my rose leaves. I found a great picture online, but no really useful info. I'm in DC, and these things are destroying the foliage on my roses, as well as some of my vegetable plants. Most importantly, how do I get rid of them?
posted by MrMoonPie to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

You got yourself a rose slug there. (Also known as sawfly larvae). Alas it will not make a beautiful butterfly.
posted by cakebatter at 9:25 AM on June 27, 2015

I have these! I just pick them off by hand every morning.
posted by yarly at 9:42 AM on June 27, 2015

Yes, they're sawfly larvae. They completely destroyed (as in stripped every leaf) of a willow we planted. You can pick them off (not an option when you've got tens of thousands of course) or use an insecticide.
posted by pipeski at 10:35 AM on June 27, 2015

Pretty sure that's the Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar. (Okay, actually just coming to say yes, sawfly larvae).
posted by mrfuga0 at 4:34 PM on June 27, 2015 [3 favorites]

Neem oil or insecticidal soap. Reapply after rain or as needed. Unfortunately the bacterial solutions will not work.
posted by Nyx at 8:43 PM on June 27, 2015