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Box tree moths appearing all around our property #870973

Asked May 31, 2024, 2:38 PM EDT

We have noticed a number of box tree moths on our property in Bloomfield Township. We checked the boxwood hedges but see no evidence of eggs yet. Do pheromone traps reduce the risk of a serious outbreak? What prophylactic treatment is most effective at early stages? Do you recommend a particular garden service company with experience in this problem?Can professionals use chemicals homeowners cannot access? I have photos. 

Oakland County Michigan

Expert Response

Good evening and thank you for reaching out. Attaching a few photos to this question would be really helpful. Would you be able to do that?
Ask Extension Question Wrangler Pronouns: she/her/hers Find your local Extension office here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/county Find an expert in a specific topic here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/experts/experts-by-topic-area Find home gardening information here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/home_gardening/ Order a soil test kit here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/soil-testing-returns-through-msu-extension Mold questions? We don’t have an expert in mold, but we do have a few resources below or contact the  Michigan health department. Molds in the Home Indoor Air Quality May be Hazardous to Your Health   Mushroom questions? We can’t identify, but we do have these three resources to help you: Identifying  Morel  Poisonous MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg, Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples. The University resides on the land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. Replied June 01, 2024, 6:56 PM EDT
Thank you for your questions. The links below contains a wealth of information on the box tree moth situation in Michigan.

https://www.canr.msu.edu/tag/box-tree-moth

https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/id-report/insects/box-tree-moth


Re. the use of pheramone traps: Generally speaking, all known treatments are contact insecticides which means the moths need to be present for those products to work. Currently, there is no reliable way to make the boxwood "inhospitable" for this pest. Also generally speaking, we do not recommend these traps because they tend to draw pests from your entire neighborhood to the trap; however, the link below gives some updated information:

https://www.leaderpub.com/2021/08/17/msu-extension-launches-invasive-species-detection-program-for-box-tree-moth/ 

You should examine your boxwood(s) frequently, looking for eggs, caterpillars, etc. Shake the shrubs to see if any moths fly out. Until the moths or caterpillars are present, there isn't a lot you can do. Just stay vigilant. Note that the link above tells you how to report an infestation if you find one.l

And yes, often certified pesticide applicators have access to certain chemicals that are not available to homeowners. I suggest you check on your browser often for any updates information; this is a relatively new pest...and a serious one. Currently there is
no product registered specifically for box tree moth management.
REPORT BOX TREE MOTH


If you see signs of box tree moth or its caterpillars on your boxwood plants, please take photos and submit a report through Michigan's Eyes in the Field online reporting system.

Good luck. I hope this pest never makes it to your landscape. Thank you for being aware and concerned.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 02, 2024, 3:17 PM EDT

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