
Box Tree Moth Found in Kent County, Delaware
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported the discovery of the box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) recently at a Kent County home. The box tree moth is an invasive species typically found in New York, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Ohio. The box tree moth is a federally regulated pest that primarily feeds on boxwood species (Buxus spp.). If left unchecked, it causes significant damage and can potentially kill the plants. Boxwoods are a popular ornamental evergreen shrub common to many landscape environments in the United States.
Learn more about the box tree moth –
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/box-tree-moth
What You Can Do
Help prevent this invasive pest from spreading by monitoring, reporting, and controlling infestations.
- If you have boxwoods in your landscape, monitor your shrubs for brown or skeletonized leaves, defoliation, and webbing with caterpillars.
- Contact Delaware Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners at the Garden Helpline to report a suspected find and learn what pest management tools are available:
- New Castle County: 302-831-8862
- Kent County: 302-730-4000
- Sussex County: 302-831-3389
- Allow Delaware or Federal agricultural officials to inspect your boxwood plants and place detection traps.
- Remove infested boxwood plant branches. For heavy infestations, cut the boxwood from its base. Your plant should grow back from its roots. All boxwood debris should be double-bagged in plastic and placed in the trash. Homeowners should follow the Delaware Cooperative Extension’s pesticide recommendations.
- Nursery owners should monitor their boxwoods and implement safeguards to limit pest risk. All nursery businesses should report box tree moth detections to the Delaware Department of Agriculture at DDA_PlantPests@delaware.gov.