Boxwood shrubs are one of the most prevalent plants in Ohio landscapes…and for good reason. We see them on many properties across our area due to their versatility and their evergreen growth habits. The boxwood makes a great border planting or a popular choice to fill in space.
Unfortunately, there’s now a pest that is attacking the beloved boxwood.
The box tree moth has moved into our region and is posing major problems for many homeowners who value their boxwood plants. That’s because this pest can decimate a boxwood plant in a relatively short amount of time.
Given the aggressive nature of this moth as of April 16, 2024 (at the time this article was written), there has been a quarantine on boxwood plants in Southwest Ohio so that the pest is not introduced into new areas.
In this article, we’ll dive into some of the important facts that you need to know about the boxwood moth and what you should do if you find them on your property.
The box tree moth (also sometimes called the boxwood moth, since they attack boxwoods) is an invasive pest out of East Asia. They were first found in Ohio in June 2023 and have been expanding their presence in our area ever since.
Box tree moth caterpillars are yellow and green with stripes in white, yellow, and black coloring. Like other caterpillars, this is the stage when they are most destructive as they are ravenous eaters. Heavy infestations can lead to the complete defoliation of your boxwood plants.
The quick lifecycle of the boxwood moth is also problematic. Between May and September, this moth can complete as many as five separate generations. This is one reason why the pest can be so destructive. New generations keep coming and attacking your boxwoods.
The most common sign of box tree moth damage is defoliation. You’ll find that your boxwood leaves are completely chewed up and skeletonized. You might also see webbing, which these caterpillars create as they mature.
If you have a large infestation, this pest is capable of eating all of the leaves on your plant, leaving behind only bare branches.
This hungry caterpillar (just like the famous children’s book) will even move on to eating your boxwood shrub’s bark once they’re done with the leaves. At this point, your boxwood is likely to die.
If you suspect that you have a boxwood moth problem, you should reach out immediately. We are able to use a curative product that will control the caterpillar.
We can’t emphasize enough that time is of the essence.
If this pest has enough time, it will kill your boxwoods. Lately, we have seen many boxwoods already struggling due to disease and environmental stressors. If your boxwoods are already ragged and in poor condition, there’s a good chance they won’t be able to stand up to the aggressive boxwood moth.
One way that you can help bolster the strength of your plants in general is by investing in Tree and Shrub Care. With services like pest control as well as tree and shrub fertilization, you can improve the overall health of your plants. This should help them better stand up to foes.
That being said, right now, there are no preventative treatments to protect boxwoods from the invasive box tree moth in Ohio. For that reason, you still want to be diligent about watching for early signs of this pest.
If your plant has been heavily attacked by this pest and is in bad shape, replacing it might make the most sense. We’d likely recommend that you choose a different plant species so that you don’t end up dealing with the exact same problem again.
One thing that we won’t do is give you false hope or make recommendations that aren’t in your best interest. You can count on us to provide honest and transparent information about your plants’ health.
The quarantine that is in place restricts the movement of boxwood plants. This is to prevent spreading this pest to new areas.
At the time that we wrote this article, six counties in southwest Ohio were involved: Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Greene, Montgomery, and Warren counties. These counties have regulations in place from the Ohio Department of Agriculture that restrict the movement of boxwood shrubs out of these areas.
That includes not only living shrubs but also branches and dead plant material as these might also contain boxwood moths or their eggs.
As the ODA and the local Extension offices aim to better understand this pest, another way that homeowners can help is by reporting sightings of the boxwood moth.
You can report those sightings directly to the ODA with this link: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/1b36dd2cf09e4be0a79776a6104ce1dc
At Oasis Turf & Tree, we are also helping to play a role in reporting sightings of this pest as we know it will help in developing a better understanding of exactly what we’re dealing with going forward.
Keeping up with timely information like the box tree moth quarantine can be tricky. Different seasons can bring different problems (some worse than others). You might recall that we had a particularly bad invasion of armyworms in 2021.
At that time, we worked diligently to keep up with the latest recommendations for dealing with that issue, and we’ll do the same for this boxwood moth problem. You deserve to have a partner on your side when it comes to maintaining a healthy and thriving landscape.
At Oasis, we’re keeping up with the latest research and best practices so that we can deliver excellent results. At the end of the day, we don’t want you to have to be stressed about your property. We’re here to be your helpful guide no matter what comes up. Our hope is that this provides some peace of mind, even when facing problems.
Want to learn more about professional lawn care services for your Cincinnati, Dayton, Ohio, or Northern Kentucky home? Request your quote, choose the lawn care program that’s right for you, and then sit back and relax as the pros help you get the lawn of your dreams without the worries.