The box tree moth is well camouflaged. Even the tiny eggs are hard to spot. This article informs you about points in time, characteristics and measures.
Although the Box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) can cause great damage, it lives most of its life cryptically, i.e. hidden and protected from predators or human actions. Detecting an infestation early on can save you and your Box trees (Buxus) provide a decisive advantage. So that you can find and recognize the eggs safely, we have summarized everything important for you.
contents
- When does the boxwood moth lay eggs?
- Recognize boxwood moth eggs
-
Remove or kill the boxwood moth eggs
- Fight the box tree moth by cutting
- Fight the box tree moth with beneficial insects
- Protect box trees from the box tree moth
The eggs of the dreaded boxwood moth can be recognized early, so that it can be combated at an especially early stage. We explain exactly when the boxwood moth lays eggs and how to recognize them and then remove or kill them.
When does the boxwood moth lay eggs?
The box tree moth passes through four to six generations a year in our latitudes - eggs are laid at least four times. The development of the caterpillars to the adult, capable of mating moths occurs depending on the weather faster or slower, which is why unfortunately there is no fixed time in the year for laying eggs can. You will only know exactly when eggs will appear on your plants if you use one of the butterflies to monitor the flight of the butterflies yourself Box tree moth trap watch. If you are looking for such a trap, you can find the one in our shop Buy the Plantura moth trap. This helps to identify an infestation with the moth at an early stage. However, the development of the moths proceeds roughly as shown in the table below: The overwintered caterpillars develop and, after mating in June and July, lay eggs on the host plant - often ours Box trees. The same thing happens a second time around September. The larvae hatching from these eggs hide after a bit of cockroach damage on the foliage in a protected corner and hibernate there in a web until the next spring.
| 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 |
Unfortunately, it doesn't stay long with the eggs: it only takes about three days for a hungry caterpillar to hatch from an egg. In addition, eggs and larvae can usually be found at the same time due to the storage over a longer period of time. As soon as you have observed moths or found them in set traps, you should check your boxwood for egg clutches daily.
Note: Theoretically, by the way, up to four generations of the moth are possible, since the development is greatly accelerated by heat. In southern Germany, three generations per year are not uncommon.
Recognize boxwood moth eggs
In the eight days that a female moth still lives as a moth, about 150 pale yellow, lenticular eggs, a few millimeters in size, are mated and laid. The outer leaves of previously unaffected box trees are preferred. In a so-called ice mirror, around 20 eggs lie close together on the underside of the leaf. Shortly before hatching, many black dots can be seen in the ice surface when the black head capsules of the larvae shimmer through the skin of the eggs. After the first of up to six larval stages hatch, the caterpillars are still yellowish and eat into the inner, protected areas of the host plant.
Remove or kill the boxwood moth eggs
There are three good ways to get rid of the boxwood moth eggs:
Fight the box tree moth by cutting
Because the boxwood is only damaged when the larvae eat, killing or removing the eggs before hatching would be very effective in avoiding damage. Unfortunately, this project is very difficult to implement because of the short time in which the eggs are available. A simple and efficient method is to make a cut a maximum of two weeks after the observed butterfly flight. At this point in time, the eggs and young larvae are still in the outer area of the box tree and can thus be removed with the cut. Packed in a tightly closed bag, the cut can be disposed of in the residual waste.
Fight the box tree moth with beneficial insects
Another possibility is to bring out beneficial insects: several species of parasitic wasps of the genus Trichogramma parasitize the eggs of the box tree moth and kill the young life in them. Eggs of the parasitic wasps can be ordered in cardboard cards and hung in the box trees at the start of the butterfly flight. After hatching, the parasitic wasps will ideally look for suitable eggs. This environmentally friendly technology has already worked very well in greenhouse trials; many can do it outdoors Factors reduce their efficiency - wind, predators or other, preferred egg clutches reduce the success Circumstances.
Protect box trees from the box tree moth
A last option is to use protective nets to prevent the eggs from being deposited. These must then be spread over each box tree for three weeks from April to September or depending on the occurrence of the moths. It goes without saying that the chic of a well-tended box hedge is significantly reduced. Once the egg-laying time has passed and the larvae start to attack your boxwood, all is by no means lost: This special article provides information about them Control of the box tree moth. Because pest containment should never affect your entire garden, we've got it here biological ways of combating the borer collected.
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