The battle of the roses

First I want to thank @nikv for her suggestions on helping my poor non-flowering tea rose. The plant now has some really tiny flower buds and if I can get the plant through the next hurdle I may actually see blooms after many years. Ok, this picture is not great, in fact it is horrible but it was windy and my hands are never steady as it is.

It now has what appear to be rose sawflies. They are not actually a fly but are related to the wasp family although they do not sting. Both the fly and the larvae love to feast on rose bushes but if I have any say in the matter it is not going to be mine! I have been out daily with my insecticidal soap and vigilantly removing any offending larvae that I find.

Here is a better picture of the culprits. I will visit these plants daily and keep you all posted if any of the flower buds open. Let's hope the season does not also bring aphids.

Live long and prosper