NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets Asks Residents on Long...
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is asking residents on Long Island to report sightings of the Box Tree Moth, an invasive pest. Box Tree Moth is a major threat to boxwood plants, a valuable portion of the nursery and horticultural industry. In mid-September, the Box Tree Moth was detected in the Nassau County area and confirmed by the Department’s Plant Industry Division inspectors. Prior to this confirmation on Long Island, Box Tree Moth had been detected in several counties in upstate New York, including Niagara County, near the Canadian border, and in Monroe, Wayne, and Cayuga counties. The find of Box Tree Moth in Nassau County is the first outside the quarantine boundary, which was put in place in 2024. The Department continues to survey for Box Tree Moth and is now urging residents to report any additional findings. These reports will help inspectors to assess impacted areas and reduce the spread of Box Tree Moth in New York State.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The recent detection of the Box Tree Moth in Nassau County shows why it’s important that we act fast to limit the spread of this invasive pest. Box Tree Moth can cause significant damage to boxwood plants, which are widely used on Long Island and important to New York’s horticultural and nursery industry. I encourage residents to stay alert, check their boxwood plants regularly, and report any sightings of Box Tree Moth to the Department.”
As part of the state’s response efforts, inspectors from the Department will continue to look for Box Tree Moth in Nassau County. Inspectors may visit residential properties, with the landowner’s permission, to survey for Box Tree Moth. Department inspectors will always identify themselves and explain the purpose of their visit. The Department is also urging homeowners to look for signs of Box Tree Moth infestation on their property, which varies depending on the severity of the infestation and time of year. Signs of infestation can include chewed leaves along with webbing and frass (excrement) left behind throughout the plant. From fall through spring, while larvae are hibernating, leaves may be found stuck together with webbing near branch tips, housing overwintering larvae.
If Box Tree Moth is suspected, the Department is asking that residents report it here: https://agriculture.ny.gov/reportBTM.
The Department continues to have a quarantine in place to manage the spread of Box Tree Moth, which includes 34 upstate counties. The quarantine prohibits the sale and movement of boxwood to areas outside of the quarantine area and requires companies selling boxwood to maintain sales records for inspection by the Department’s horticultural inspectors. The Department will revise the quarantine as necessary, depending on the outcome of its continued survey work.
In addition, the Department has been working closely with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on the management of Box Tree Moth, with both agencies contributing staff time to trap along the leading edge of the quarantine zone and in other high-risk areas around the state.
Property owners and managers looking for information on managing Box Tree Moth infestations can contact their local Cornell Cooperative Extension office or visit the NYS Integrated Pest Management website at https://cals.cornell.edu/new-york-state-integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/fact-sheets/box-tree-moth.
Box Tree Moth larvae are easily recognizable; they are green and yellow with white, yellow, black stripes and black spots. Signs of damage may not appear at the beginning of an infestation because young larvae hide among twigs and leaves. Signs of a Box Tree Moth feeding on a plant include chewed, cut, or missing leaves, yellowing or brown leaves, white webbing, and green-black excrement on or around the plant. Larvae skeletonize the leaves and feed on the bark, causing defoliation and dryness, eventually leading to the plant’s death.
Adult Box Tree Moths generally have white bodies with a brown head and abdomen. Their wings are white and slightly iridescent, with an irregular thick brown border. Some adults have completely brown wings with a small white streak on each forewing. Males and females can show both colorations.
Photos of box tree moth can be found here. More information on Box Tree Moth is available on the Department’s website: https://agriculture.ny.gov/plant-industry/box-tree-moth.
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