Recognizing the box tree borer in all its stages of development can save the box's life. The fight must not only begin when hundreds of the voracious caterpillars attack the bush. The consequences of an infestation are simply too devastating.
How do I recognize the boxwood moth?
The butterfly is small and inconspicuous, stays on other plants and only lays its eggs on the box. Eggs are small, pale and well hidden on the undersides of leaves. Caterpillars are up to5 cm long, green in color and heavily patterned.
When do the butterflies fly and how can I spot them?
In Germany the butterflies arein spring and summer. About twice a year, or more often in warmer regions of the country, they circle the box to lay their eggs on it. From mid-May, set up apheromone trap for borers to catch some specimens. This is not a control measure, but is simply intended to help you detect an infestation early. Typical features of the butterfly include:
- whitish wings with brown-black border
- Abdomen is similarly colored
- 4 to 4.5 cm wingspan
- thin, long fillers
- black framed eyes
How can I discover the eggs in time?
The first eggs can be laid as early as April, then in mid-July and finally in September. You need to check theundersides of leaves regularly, especially after discovering a moth. The eggs look likesmall, flat lentils, are only a few millimeters in size andpale yellow colored. Shortly before the larvae hatch, a black dot becomes visible. The boxwood moth lays its eggs in small, dense packages of around 20 pieces.
What exactly do adult boxwood moth caterpillars look like?
Typical is theyellow-green to dark green basic color, which is also good camouflage. Contrasting splashes of color orPatternare:
- brown-black head capsule
- black and white vertical stripes
- black dots along the stripes
- white bristles
If you want to discover the caterpillars early in order to combat them early, you have to bend the branches to the side and look into the inside of the crown, because the infestation starts from there. Larvae hatch just three days after laying their eggs, but do not become very large until summer.
Which damage pattern can I use to recognize boxwood borers?
The larvae of the boxwood motheat the leaves and spin them in They start inside the crown and work their way outwards. This is why an infestation can remain for a long time without any visible symptoms. If it remains undetected for a long time or is very strong, the entire bush can be eaten bare and die.
Tip
Prune affected boxwood early in the year
The last generation of larvae overwinteres in the boxwood, in tightly woven cocoons. Bring forward the first pruning of the year to the beginning of March. In this way, you can use the clippings to remove numerous larvae before they can develop further and become active again.
