A box tree moth female
Submitted photo
I get a lot of calls in the office about what could be damaging boxwood shrubs around residential areas in Clinton County. Not only are boxwoods one of the most common ornamental shrubs, but they also contribute largely to Ohio’s green industry. Boxwoods can be a huge revenue source for nurseries as they sell to landscaping companies and landowners. Usually, boxwood damage in Clinton County has been caused by the regular pests and pathogens like boxwood leafminer or boxwood blight, however there is a new threat among us.
The Box Tree Moth (BTM) is Lepidopteran meaning that it is moth/caterpillar pest that is a defoliator of leaves as a caterpillar. Our neighboring counties of Clermont, Warren, and western Greene all have recorded presence of the Box Tree Moth, so I have decided to monitor for this pest via bucket traps. I have placed two bucket traps in Clinton County, one in Wilmington and the other in Blanchester. Since the Box Tree Moth feeds on boxwoods, the traps need to be set in residential areas where the presence of boxwoods are most prevalent. I check the traps weekly and have not found any BTM yet. The bucket traps are set on a fence post at a height of three feet tall, as moths fly at that height. The trap contains a pheromone specific to BTM and an insecticidal strip to dispatch the moth once it enters the trap.
This species is native to Asia and has spread throughout Europe. It was found in Ontario, Canada at a nursery in spring of 2021, a few weeks later BTM was found in New York state. Last June BTM was found in Cincinnati and since has spread to our neighboring counties.
Box Tree Moth can kill entire plantings of boxwood shrubs by defoliating the entire plant and then eating the bark once they have run out of foliage. If you spot a moth make sure to take a picture, call the Clinton County Extension office, and report the moth at OH Dept Ag: Ohio Plant Pest Reporter (arcgis.com).
