RESEARCH
New BOX AThreat to TREE North American MOTH: Boxwoods By Amy Michael
Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Coordinator North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS)
BTM caterpillar with frass and webbing. Ferenc Lakatos, University of Sopron, Bugwood.org 24 NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES || SUMMER 2021
The box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis, BTM) is native to eastern Asia and has become a serious pest in Europe. Although this moth is a relatively new pest to North America, an established population of BTM was found in Ontario, Canada, in 2018. The BTM caterpillar feeds on boxwood (all Buxus spp.). The larvae start by chewing away at leaves; heavy infestations will completely defoliate shrubs and then begin to feed on the bark, girdling and ultimately killing the host plant. BTM can have two to five generations per year, depending on temperature, and would be expected to be active April through October in an environment like North Carolina’s. In introduced areas where the pest has the minimum two generations per year, boxwood stands have declined by more than 95% within a decade. Given the ample host availability and their ability to rapidly reproduce and spread, BTM could become a major pest to North Carolina nurseries and landscapes across the country.
Damage caused by BTM feeding. Ferenc Lakatos, University of Sopron, Bugwood.org
