Boxwood Beware: Box Tree Moth Blows into New York from Canada

Boxwood just can’t catch a break!

From Boxwood Leafminer (fly larvae that eat the Boxwood leaf tissue) to Boxwood Blight (a fungus that causes rapid defoliation), these common and highly desirable landscape shrubs are one of the most vulnerable in our landscape.

Now, those of use with Boxwood have something new to worry about: the Box Tree Moth. The Box Tree Moth is an invasive insect originally native to East Asia. After initially invading Germany in 2006, the Box Tree moth has spread across Europe and made its way oversees to Toronto, Canada in 2018. In July 2021, the USDA confirmed the presence of Box Tree month in the state of New York.

As with many invasive pests, one of the most concerning things about the Box Tree Moth is its rapid lifecycle which causes an explosion in the number of pests in a very short period of time. After the caterpillars pupate and emerge as adults, the moths are strong fliers and can disperse 4-6 miles (source: Penn State Agricultural Extension). The short lifecycle, large number of offspring, and ability to disperse greater distances (compare to how far a Spotted Lantern Fly could hop!) make this pest a great threat to the landscape in our Boxwood.

Read in depth about the Box Tree Moth here.

The introduction of the invasive Box Tree Moth underscores the ever-increasing number of invasive insects plaguing our landscapes. Now more than ever, it is crucial to have your landscape regularly inspected and treated for invasive insects and diseases by a plant health care technician. It is only a matter of time until we will need to incorporate control against the Box Tree Moth here in south-eastern PA.

As a plant health care company, we have an obligation to track and report the presence of Box Tree Moth if we are to come across it on your landscape. Please read through the links shared above and reach out if see signs of Box Tree Moth on your Boxwood.