Anyone who has ever had to fight a boxwood moth will do everything in their power to ensure that the butterfly can never lay eggs on their own boxwoods again. If you invest time and a little money and act in a timely manner, you can actually do it.
How can I prevent boxwood borers?
Take actionfrom Marchbefore the butterflies fly out. Cover the box with close-meshednet, sprayalgae lime, primary rock powder orneem oil solutionWith a strongpruning you can remove overwintering caterpillars from the previous year. Set up a pheromone trap to detect butterflies.
How do I use algae lime and primary rock powder preventatively?
Algae lime and primary rock powder temporarily change the appearance of the boxwood. Therefore, they are usually used if there was already an infestation with boxwood moths in the previous year and the risk of a new infestation is therefore increased. This is how they are deployed:
- apply to damp leaves (better adhesion)
- just oneeven, thin layer
- cover the entire book
- start in March, repeat every two weeks
Algae lime increases the pH value, while slightly acidic primary rock powder lowers it. Therefore, ideally both should be used alternately.
How does neem oil help against boxwood borers?
The natural insecticide neem oil must be sprayed early in the year so that it can develop its preventive effect. Itprevents egg laying, because butterflies don't seem to like its scent and avoid the box moistened with it. In addition,damagesneem oil thedevelopment of larvae that may overwinter on the boxwood.
How do sparrows help prevent severe infestations?
For a long time, the boxwood moth (Cydalima perspectalis), which migrated from East Asia, had no natural enemies in Europe. In the meantime, local birds such as great tits, redstarts and especially sparrows have discovered itscaterpillars as protein-rich food for themselves and their offspring. If there are many natural enemies in the garden, this may be enough to make further control measures unnecessary.
How can I fight boxwood borers with pheromone traps?
A pheromone trap isnot a means of control, even if some male butterflies get caught in it. Its sole purpose is to detect the presence of butterflies in your own garden at an early stage.
Tip
Alternatives for new plantings
The box is and remains threatened every year by the box tree borer. If you want to enjoy your garden without having to constantly fight against pests, it is better to use these evergreen alternatives for new plantings: dwarf yew, dwarf privet, small-leaved rhododendron. They are not at risk from the borer.
