Box tree moth: Everything about the moth

To get rid of it, you have to understand the box tree moth. There is everything here to spot and fight the voracious caterpillars.

You have on yours Boxwood (Buxus) discolored leaves, dead branches, white webs and caterpillars observed - or noticed these symptoms in the neighborhood? It may be an infestation with the notorious box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis). Now it's time to find out more quickly and act to minimize damage to your shrubs.

The boxwood moth is an invasive species from East Asia. It was introduced to Central Europe a few years ago and specializes in our boxwood, which in many areas leads to complete baldness. This overview article gives you brief information about when the box tree moth during the year occurs, how you can recognize it and fight it and what influence the timing has on the Has successful control.

Box tree moth: Occurrence during the year

The problem with the box tree moth is that it leads a rather hidden existence. The moths are nocturnal, so the egg-laying happens unnoticed - provided that one not a suitable one Pheromone trap used. With a pheromone trap like that Plantura moth trap you can recognize an infestation at an early stage. Directly below this paragraph you can see a table which shows the development of the moth over the course of the year. Unfortunately, this is not a generally valid representation, because the speed of larval development depends, among other things, on temperature. Even a very mild or very harsh spring can cause a shift of a few weeks. The observation of the butterfly flight with traps and the regular control of the bushes between March and September is therefore unfortunately the only reliable way to prevent an incipient infestation in good time to notice.

month	April	May	June	July	August	September
State of development	Caterpillars (overwintered)	Cocoons	Moths, eggs	Eggs, caterpillars	Cocoons, moths	Butterflies, eggs, caterpillars
generation	Generation last year	Generation 1	Generation 2

Recognize the box tree moth

Fortunately, detection is possible long before the appearance of yellow and dead shoots in the bush: the yellowish ones Moth eggs are located in the outer areas of the box tree, in tightly packed "ice mirrors". Only a few millimeters large larvae hatch from them. They are rather light and green-yellow in color and have a typical black head capsule. Immediately after hatching, they make their way into the protected interior of the bush to hide in webs and scrape at the poisonous boxwood leaves. If they have grown a little larger and have several moults behind them, the color of the changes Boxwood moth caterpillars something into the dark and the characteristic black and white drawing emerges. Now you leave the inside of the boxwood and go back to the outside areas. After 6 larval stages, pupation finally follows, also hidden in webs. The resulting small butterfly is usually brightly colored. He cares for the next generation of voracious caterpillars. We have developed detailed articles with pictures for you, which exactly describe the eggs of the moth, the associated caterpillars and the boxwood moth moths. More about the Recognizing the borer can be found in this special article. If after reading this description you suspect another disease of your box tree, you can find out more here Diseases of Buxusinform.

Summary Recognizing the box tree moth:

• If the infestation is severe, smaller or larger sections of the branch will die off.
• An infestation can be recognized much earlier on webs and the maximum 5 cm long caterpillars. The caterpillars are green-yellow, later with black and white markings and white bristles. The black head capsule is typical.
• The eggs are yellowish and several are deposited in the outer areas under the leaf.
• The approximately 4.5 cm wide moths are not always colored the same, mostly they are light with black wing edges.

Fight the box tree moth

If you recognized the infestation early or if it is weak, we recommend reading this special article to ensure it is effective Home remedies to fight the box tree moth. It describes measures that work - such as the high-pressure cleaner - and less effective approaches - such as baking soda. But if you are already standing in front of a dying box tree full of caterpillars - you no longer have to start collecting. You can now decide: Are you looking for alternatives for the box tree or do you try to combat the moth? As the Combating the borer generally works, you can find out here. If you have no interest in combating caterpillars with poison, you will find biological ways here that achieve good results without chemicals. The use of Nematodes, Neem oil and preparations with Bacillus thuringiensis are far more promising than the environmental impact of these products suggests. Conventional means are often also effective - more important because of the reduction Beneficial insects however, new pest problems are often created in the garden. We recommend that you always compare the information leaflet with the official requirements before you buy a plant protection product.

tip: You don't have to worry when you collect and dispose of the box tree moth. The caterpillars are not poisonous if they come into contact with the skin. But you shouldn't eat them - it's better to wash your hands after contact. Because inside, the animals harbor several toxic compounds that they have ingested from the also poisonous boxwood. In our article "Are boxwood moths poisonous?”Learn more about the toxicity of the moth.

When is the best time to fight the moth?

The following applies to the borer: The choice of the point in time determines the success of the fight. If you apply a spray against the caterpillars, although they are still well wrapped in their leaf webs, you should not expect a reduction in the infestation. The same applies in the event that the moths are still present as eggs or already as cocoons. So when does it make sense to inject remedies against the box tree moth or use something else? This article will guide you to the right one Time of the box tree moth control.

Organic box tree moth with XenTari^® fight

Anyone looking for an effective, simple and yet environmentally friendly control method should come to ours Plantura borer-free XenTari^® to grab. Our Plantura borer-free XenTari^® is used in organic farming and in professionally managed ornamental and vegetable gardens because it has no effects on beneficial insects or even humans. Unlike other available sprays, it only works against the caterpillars of certain butterflies such as the borer.

The active ingredient contained is persistence spores of a specialized bacterium, des Bacillus thuringiensis. If these are applied to the leaf of the infected plant, they can be ingested by caterpillars while they are eating. In the intestine, the bacteria release a toxin that not only stops eating immediately, but also causes the caterpillars to perish after a maximum of five days. Because of the high specificity, safety for the user and good effectiveness, we recommend using this biological spray.

tip: You can with our Plantura borer-free XenTari^® also make pome fruit trees and cabbage-free caterpillars - this is where the Large and small cabbage white butterfly fought with the means.

The boxwood moth isn't the only problem boxwood owners struggle with. Here you can find out everything about Boxwood mushroom.