Less often, you see leafhoppers, scale, spider mites and thrips. The list may sound frightening, but you rarely have more than one or two insect problems in a season. Aphids are the most common rose pest. They are soft-bodied pear shaped insects that line up along the most tender buds and leaves. They are sucking insects.
Aphids are vulnerable to almost all insecticides.
Start by washing most of them off, then treat the few that remain. Watch closely to keep them from taking over. They are actually the larvae of a type of sawfly and can do a lot of damage very quickly, sometimes eating chunks of leaves away, sometimes skeletonizing them. Sevin dust or Rose dust seems to be the most effective, since it stays on the leaves. It is best to identify the specific pest when you can.