Iris Borer?

I have 3 rhizomes of the same variety of Bearded Iris planted. They are grouped together. Some of the leaves and two of the flower stalks have 'raw' streaks. Meaning they look like the outer layer is stripped away. Is this Iris Borer damage? If so, do I need to pull the rhizomes and burn them?

Iris Borer?
From what you've described, it is the caterpillars (of the female Iris Borer) feeding that is causing the visual damage to the leaves. According to the attached website, your rhizomes can be salvaged despite the damage already done.





Here's an excerpt from the article that deals with your problem.





"Around July, the Iris borers have worked their way down to the rhizome and by this time they are about two inches long and pinkish tan. This is only the first half of the Iris dilemma, because at this stage, bacterial soft rot attacks. Just like with humans and animals, an injured plant is prone to infections which compound the difficulty."





"Bacterial soft rot causes the leaves to look water soaked and mushy, Often they collapse and become a stinky mess. The rotten smell is a tell-tale sign of bacterial soft rot in Irises. To deal with this disease and the borers both at once, dig the entire Iris plant up and shake the dirt off the rhizomes. Examine the rhizome for visible rotten spots and cut them off. Small tunnels may be visible."





"Soak the whole rhizome is a container of 10% laundry bleach to 90% water. Let them sit in this solution for about an hour. This should drive out the caterpillars and kill the bacteria. Cut the leaves back to 4"-5" in length. Let the rhizome dry, and for insurance, dust it with garden sulfur. Replant them, keeping the rhizome high in well drained soil to guard against bacterial soft rot in the future."








http://www.associatedcontent.com/article...





Hope this information helps solve your problem. Good luck with the iris!