The right fight at the right time will make you successful in the fight against the box tree moth. Find out here what works when.
The best method of combating benefits theirs boxwood (boxy) nothing if the timing is wrong. Because in many phases of his life he is box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) protected against attackers by sophisticated tactics. So that you always have a suitable strategy for action ready, we have selected the right times for each approach.
If you want to effectively control the box tree moth, you need to delve deep into its biology and development cycle - or You can read with us when the box tree moth is best fought with traps, by cutting, water, collecting or spraying.
When to set up box tree moth traps?
The short-lived Box tree moth moth are mainly active at night, when they mate and lay eggs. From these, voracious larvae will hatch soon after the flight of the moth. Therefore, observing the flight of the moth is an important first step if you want to fight the moth moth successfully right from the start. With the help of
Pheromone traps for box tree moths like the Plantura borer trap, know when to expect eggs and caterpillars. Traps should be used in June, August and September.Notice: In very warm years, the development of the moths can accelerate, so that the moth flight takes place two to four weeks earlier.
When to collect box tree moths?
The manual collection or cutting out of whole shoots with Box tree moth caterpillars only worth it if there is a small infestation. Checking for webs in the inner and outer areas of box trees can take place from mid-April. Because the development time of the moth shifts depending on the weather, we recommend at least monthly checks until September.
Ideally, it should be collected when the early larval stages are still spun into cocoons and leaves live inside the bush - at this point the infestation from the outside is not yet visible. If the caterpillars later eat freely in the outer areas, they can also be rinsed off with a hard jet of water. Incidentally, you don't have to worry about skin contact with the green caterpillars: the box tree moth is only poisonous internally. You can find more on this topic in our special article “Are box tree moths poisonous?“. This is also the reason for this Disposing of the box tree moth not as complicated as one might think.
Tip: If you find very young larvae and eggs of the box tree moth in the outside of your boxwood, immediate pruning is a good way to remove the pests.
When to spray against the box tree moth?
Eggs and pupae are protected against pesticides, moths fly away and young larval stages stay in cocoons and leaf coverings. If an infestation is to be treated with sprays, the caterpillars should remain free-feeding in the outer areas of the shrub so that they can be hit by the spray. This is usually the case in the second half of April and early July. Of course, there are also systemic agents that are ingested by the caterpillars by feeding on the boxwood. In order to reduce the use of chemical pesticides, however, the use of so-called Bt preparations such as ours is recommended Plantura Zünslerfrei XenTari®. If these hit the caterpillar directly, the control success is very high.
Summary: When to fight the box tree moth?
- pheromone traps should be used in June, August and September. In warm years, the moths of the moth can also appear earlier.
- Checking for webs, droppings and borer caterpillars is useful at least once a month between April and September.
- Eggs and young larvae can be removed by cutting two weeks after the flight of the moth.
- The best time to spray against the box tree moth is in the second half of April and the beginning of July.
opportunities for Fighting the moth, we have summarized this for you in our special article.
