The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) announced yesterday that the box tree moth (BTM) (Cydalima perspectalis, family Crambidae) quarantine zone has been expanded in southwest Ohio. As of yesterday, the BTM quarantine now includes the following counties: Butler, Clermont, Greene, Hamilton, Miami, Montgomery, and Warren.
Newly affected nursery stock producers can contact their ODA Nursery Inspector to implement a Compliance Agreement. The Agreement includes a BTM pest management plan developed by the ODA/USDA in conjunction with research scientists.
Compliance Agreements are aimed at reducing the business impacts of a quarantine while at the same time protecting those outside the regulated areas from BTM. As noted in the ODA announcement, Green Industry professionals can contact the Plant Pest Control Section at 614-728-6400 if they have any questions about the new regulation.
As shown in the graphic below, BTM has a split generation between fall and spring. Eggs hatched and small caterpillars started feeding late last season. As day-lengths shortened, it caused caterpillars to enter an overwintering stage called diapause which is a type of suspended animation.
The small caterpillars are currently housed in protective structures called hibernacula (singular hibernaculum). This makes BTM difficult to detect at this time of the year, particularly on lightly infested boxwoods. The ravenous caterpillars will resume feeding on boxwood leaves later this spring and can quickly cause damage.
REPORT BTM
In Ohio, you can report a suspected BTM infestation through ODA’s reporting tool:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/1b36dd2cf09e4be0a79776a6104ce1dc
In Kentucky, you should contact your county UK Cooperative Extension Office to report a suspected infestation:
https://extension.ca.uky.edu/county
In Indiana, you should e-mail reports of suspected BTM infestations to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources: DEPP@dnr.IN.gov
LEARN MORE ABOUT BTM
You can learn more about BTM by accessing the following OSU Extension Fact Sheets:
- Information on BTM’s range and spread including its life cycle:
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ent-0099
- Information of detecting BTM:
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ent-0100
- Information of management options including insecticides:
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ent-0101
