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For several years, the box tree moth has been spreading due to a lack of natural enemies in the local latitudes. Numerous box trees have already been destroyed because the moth can cause great damage. But there is hope, because the native birds have now included the pest in their diet and got used to the taste. But other natural enemies have also put the box tree moth on their menu, so hobby gardeners can slowly breathe a sigh of relief.
box tree moth
The box tree moth is the caterpillar of a butterfly that actually comes from Asia. However, he prefers to eat the bark and leaves of the box trees and thus causes great damage, the trees and hedges die off and can no longer be saved. The pest is so dangerous for the reason that it does not originally come from the local latitudes and the local fauna cannot do anything with these insects for the reason. Basically, he had no natural enemies here. So it was able to spread unhindered and that's exactly why the damage is so high. You can recognize an infestation of the box tree moth in your own garden by the following:
- Traces of feeding on the leaves
- Leaves turn brown and dry up
- Boxwood looks dried out from lack of water
- so-called window damage in winter
- Leaves stick together
What is also fatal about the moth is that there are up to three generations in one year and the caterpillars can hibernate protected between the leaves.
Natural enemies
sparrows
Birds and especially sparrows have meanwhile included the larvae of the box tree moth in their preferred food. Observations in recent years have shown that the sparrows sat in large populations on the box hedges and searched for the caterpillars. Sparrows can be lured into your own garden as follows:
- attach nesting boxes
- create a natural garden
- Provide niches for shelter
- Wall of stones with many places to hide
Native songbirds
Many other native songbirds now fight Cydalima perspectalis naturally. Because the protein-rich caterpillars have also discovered redstarts, chaffinches and great tits as a food source for their own brood. So if you have a boxwood hedge in your garden, you should have a lot nest boxes hang up to prevent an infestation in the first place. In this way, a hedge can survive a new season without further measures to combat it.
Great tit, Parus major
paper wasps
The Gallic paper wasps have also discovered the box tree moth as a natural food source. Therefore, these wasps should not be driven out of your own garden if there is one or more box trees, maybe a whole hedge, here. Because the paper wasps are not interested in our food on the table if they can find the borer in the hedge. If the wasps were therefore discovered on an infested boxwood, the following procedure should be followed:
- offer many shelters
- Nests prefer a sunny spot
- on a branch or stem
- also directly on the box tree
- do not remove found nest
- Paper wasps are generally peaceful
- Offer the wasp queen a place to hibernate
- in wall cracks or insect hotel
Paper wasps can be easily distinguished from other wasp species by their long, narrow body and hanging hind legs in flight. A wasp colony usually includes only up to 30 animals.
Alternative control methods
neem oil
Neem oil is a home remedy that is naturally extracted from the neem tree. The farmers in Asia in particular are already using this household remedy successfully against the caterpillars from these countries. The oil is available in well-stocked gardening shops and should then be used as follows:
- Remove webs from the caterpillars
- so the agent can also get inside the bush
- Use a pressure sprayer
- Spray affected boxwood from all sides
- use a dry day
- possibly repeat several times
high pressure cleaner
In the case of a larger infestation, the high-pressure cleaner can also be used. Therefore, if traces of feeding and droppings are discovered on the boxwood or even on the hedge, the plant can be sprayed with the high-pressure cleaner. The pests are thus naturally swept to the ground. Here they must be collected so that surviving box tree moths do not crawl back into the hedge.
Remove by hand
If the infestation of the box tree moth is not that big, you can also collect the caterpillars by hand. The pests are very large and are easily recognizable with the naked eye. However, the following should be noted when collecting:
- always wear gloves
- Also check the inside of the hedge
- look out for faecal and feeding tracks
- Put the borer in a plastic bag
- do not expose elsewhere
- Put the bag well closed in the residual waste
It often helps to use several control methods at the same time. You can then spray one of the home remedies on the affected shrub after collecting it by hand.
crop protection nets
To prevent infestation, it is advisable to place close-meshed plant protection nets over the hedge. Prevention is particularly important when an infestation of the pests is already known in the immediate vicinity. Before you put the nets over the boxwood, you should search it for any webs or existing caterpillars. Because otherwise the box tree moth can spread unhindered under the net and is even protected from its natural enemies such as birds or wasps.
wine vinegar and rapeseed oil
A home remedy against an infestation of Cydalima perspectalis has also proven itself. This is a mixture of wine vinegar and rapeseed oil. This is sprayed onto the infested areas with a spray bottle. The pests usually do not survive this treatment and can then be collected under the plant in a lifeless state and disposed of. The mixture is made as follows:
- 1/2 liter of water
- three tablespoons of canola oil
- four tablespoons of wine vinegar
- mix well by shaking
Bacillus thuringiensis
A naturally derived remedy against the box tree moth that is harmless to native songbirds is Bacillus thuringiensis. If the pest eats this bacillus, then it dies from it. The well-assorted garden trade now offers various preparations that have proven themselves against an infestation. The remedy is then applied as follows:
- best time when caterpillars have hatched
- use only on warm days
- at least 15° Celsius
- spray the agent on the boxwood
- if no expected rain in the days after spraying
- otherwise the agent washes off again
- repeat the spraying process after two weeks
tip: You can find more home remedies for effectively combating the box tree moth here.