Page 39 - MNLGA Free State Winter 2024_WEB

TOTAL PLANT MANAGEMENT A Stanton Gill

Box Tree Moth –

Think Ahead? Dear readers: Stanton submitted this

article prior to his passing and we thought it
appropriate to publish.

Adult Box Tree Moth.

o one in the horticulture industry enjoys a • Massachusetts: Confirmed in 2023
quarantine. The federal government puts these • Delaware: Confirmed by APHIS
Nquarantines in place to try and stop the spread • Pennsylvania: Confirmed in 2024 in Erie County
of invasive species and diseases. The box tree moth is just
another invasive species that is spreading rapidly in the The box tree moth (BTM) is an invasive species that is
United States, mainly in the northern tier states. However, native to East Asia. It can spread rapidly and become a
serious pest in areas outside of its native range because
the box tree moth was recently found in Delaware, our
it lacks natural predators. The moths' caterpillars can
close neighbor, just north of us in Erie County, PA.
damage boxwood plants by chewing on the plants’
The box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) has been leaves and bark, which leads to defoliation, browning, and
reported in the following states: girdling. Unfortunately, with our close neighbors having
• New York: The first confirmed sighting in North America detected the BTM in 2024, it’s just a matter of time before
was in New York in 2021 this pest shows up in Maryland. BTM first appeared in New
• Michigan: Confirmed in 2022 York State in 2021, likely carried on a storm from a recent
• Ohio: Confirmed in 2023 infestation just across the border in Ontario, Canada.
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Membership Matters • WINTER 2024 39