Box tree moth? - Ask Extension
I believe the box hedge in my yard and the many box hedges surrounding the Weinberg YMCA block in Baltimore have been eaten by the box tree caterpilla...
Knowledgebase
Box tree moth? #866970
Asked May 03, 2024, 9:40 PM EDT
I believe the box hedge in my yard and the many box hedges surrounding the Weinberg YMCA block in Baltimore have been eaten by the box tree caterpillar.
Baltimore City County Maryland
Expert Response
Do you perhaps have any other photos that you can share, both of the caterpillar (including head capsule) and the shrubs themselves?
Box tree moths have not been found in Maryland yet and we'd really want to know and confirm if that is indeed that pest.
From the little we can see in your photo, we wonder if the shrubs may actually be a type of Euonymus, which is commonly used as an inexpensive landscape shrub which has larger, more supple leaves than a boxwood.
That plant has a pest caterpillar called a Euonymus leaf notcher that can eat copious amounts of leaves at this time of year.
Take a look and see what you think:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/euonymus-leaf-notcher/
Christine
Box tree moths have not been found in Maryland yet and we'd really want to know and confirm if that is indeed that pest.
From the little we can see in your photo, we wonder if the shrubs may actually be a type of Euonymus, which is commonly used as an inexpensive landscape shrub which has larger, more supple leaves than a boxwood.
That plant has a pest caterpillar called a Euonymus leaf notcher that can eat copious amounts of leaves at this time of year.
Take a look and see what you think:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/euonymus-leaf-notcher/
Christine
