I wish someone would answer you, Ruth............I would like to know as well.

I haven't used it, but I've heard the Dirt Doctor say it's highly toxic to bees - from his web site:

"Cautions/Instructions: Read the label carefully of the brand and formulation you have selected. Apply product according to the directions on the label. The spray formulation of Spinosad is highly toxic to beneficial bees. Do not apply this product when bees are active.

"Toxicity: May cause eye irritation, but other wise non-toxic to humans. Spinosad is not acutely toxic to birds, wildlife or fish. Highly toxic to beneficial bees, but is negligible when applications are made when bee activity is low and the spray deposits have been allowed to dry. In 1999, Spinosad received the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for chemical products that reduce negative impacts on human health and the environment."

Thanks, Lin..............'nuf said !!!!

Flower thrips may be the problem and from what I read on the rose forums not much will touch them because they are deep within the tight buds and petals of the rose flower.

Thrips sure mess up the flowers, but I think the wisest advice given on the rose sites is to wait it out until the beneficial insects that eat them show up. There are several very small insects that eat thrips including a beneficial thrips that eat thrips.

However, exhibitors do use Spinosad along with another insecticide Avid with mixed results. At least Spinosad is supposed to be one of the more safe for humans insecticides, but I wouldn't want to do anything that might contribute to the further decline of bees. And besides I doubt that the thrips and other small insects that eat thrips will be able to escape it's effects.

The beneficials evidentally arrived in my yard a couple of weeks ago. It seemed like overnight roses were opening with no thrips damage and no sign of thrips when I looked inside the rose. This is the way it works for me; I get a good spring flush, then the second flush has thrips damaged roses, and then the rest of the year they do pretty well although last year in mid summer the hot strong winds blew in a lot of thrips and it took a while before they disappeared.

I read that this fungi product, Naturalis L, helps control thrips, but I have no experience with it.

BTW, generally I don't use insecticides and have very few bug problems. I do treat the soil with beneficial nematodes every couple of years for the grubs of flower beetles and that might help with thrips also since they incubate in the soil.

I wish there was an easy answer to thrips problems, but there doesn't seem to be. I'm happy with letting the beneficials do their work in my garden even though some things get by them and the flowers aren't always perfect.

Here is a link that might be useful: Naturalis L ....

Usually it's only my white PJP rose that always seems to have brown edges, but this year it was also Memorial Day (my favorite cutting rose) and Belinda's Dream.
I've cut almost all the buds off all three so far this year.

Yes, they are attracted to light colored roses and the light colors show the most damage from thrips. To check for to see if that's what it is separate the petals somewhat and look for the long, narrow, little tan insects running to hide. They are VERY small, you almost need a magnifying glass to see them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Images of thrips

I treat my veges when the bees are not out in the evening, when I put my neem oil. Maybe , if it is the contact toxicity, then time the application, but if it continues to be toxic for those that happen by afterwards after it dries then one has a problem. Neem is toxic to all when it is sprayed, but becomes toxic for those that eat the plant but is not toxic to bugs that crawl on it. Or that is my understanding. I guess it maters how Spinosiad works. Is it a systemic toxin?