Sawfly caterpillars, specifically the large rose sawfly. A much asked (and answered) question this year. A few leaves lost, and the plant can stand it. Everything's got to live. However, serious infestations can result, obviously, in a lack of vigour. Solomon's seal and gooseberry have their own species of sawfly, too.

Bamboo, you're right, I'm sorry I was wrong, wasn't I? Large rose sawfly is pale, yellow greenish with little dark spots. Probably the leaf rolling sawfly in which case. Do seem to be a lot this year.

But even leaf rolling sawfly larvae are only 10mm, not 1 cm. Suppose it could be moth larvae, but that's pretty unusual on roses, Hortum...

10mm is 1cm Bamboo...

Well, I know I'm tired today, but really, its obvious my brain's not entirely in gear, MG... thanks for pointing that out, lol!

Snoop, rest assured, if you have to measure a caterpillar in feet and inches, we're none of us going to worry about the detail!

Ugh!!!!

Well 1cm is 0.39 inches Snoop :-)

But how much is that in chains and furlongs MG? I still work in that measurement ;o)

lol Myron

Well a chain is 22 yards which is 792 inches and an inch is 2.54 cm, so say about 2012 cms so work it out for yourself.
So if you put the all the sawfly lava in a line you would need about 5159 of them to go down z a Cricket pitch............and one of them would be sure to wriggle and spoil it!

Don't take my maths as correct, I failed O' level maths 5 times!

O, that's impressive! Still, the mere mention of cricket is a straight pass mark!

Should have added that 10 chains is 1 furlong and 8 furlongs is a mile.
And rods, poles and perches come in there somewhere.

Indeed they do Owdb and, at one time I actually knew them... I am NOT going to look up on Google :-)

Rods, poles and perches are all the same - a quarter of a chain (5 1/2 yards). Rod comes from Surveyor's Rod (I used to have one but it got 'borrowed' and not returned).