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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
  1. Home
  2. Terrestrial Invasives
  3. Terrestrial Invertebrates
  4. Box Tree Moth

Box Tree Moth

Scientific Name

Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859) (Mally and Nuss 2010)

Common Name

Box tree moth (BTM), box tree caterpillar

Synonym

Diaphania perspectalis

Native To

Eastern Asia (Bras et al. 2019)

Date of U.S. Introduction

2021 (APHIS 2021b)

Means of Introduction

Imported on nursery plants shipped from Canada (APHIS 2021b)

Impact

Feeds primarily on boxwood plants (Buxus spp.), where heavy infestations can defoliate plants and lead to plant death (APHIS 2021a)

Box tree moth

Box tree moth, adult

Credit

Photo by Szabolcs Sáfián; University of West Hungary

Source
Invasive.org

Find more images

Spotlights

  • Invasive Box Tree Moth Found in Ohio

    • Jun 26, 2023

    • Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

    • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the detection of the box tree moth (BTM) near the border of Hamilton and Clermont counties.

      A local resident submitted a photo of the insect to the USDA earlier this month, resulting in trapping in the area. Two specimens captured were identified as the BTM.

  • IDaids Supporting Identification of the Introduced Box Tree Moth

    • Jul 2021

    • USDA. APHIS. PPQ. CPHST. Identification Technology Program.

    • In May of this year, USDA confirmed the presence of box tree moths in the U.S. The pests likely hitchhiked here via infested plant material imported from an Ontario, Canada nursery. APHIS has initiated an emergency response including a Federal Order [PDF, 162 KB] halting host material from crossing the border pending risk analysis. Here is a set of resources supporting identification of this pest to help protect America's boxwoods.

  • Invasive Box Tree Moth Found in Lenawee County, Michigan

    • Nov 7, 2022

    • Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

    • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the detection of box tree moth (BTM) (Cydalima perspectalis) at two residences in Clinton located in Lenawee County. Although not a threat to Michigan’s natural resources, extensive feeding from box tree moth can lead to significant defoliation and death of ornamental boxwood.  In May 2021, potentially infested boxwood plants were shipped to retail locations in several states including six in Michigan. The pest was then identified in three of the six Michigan facilities. It is not known whether the box tree moth populations detected in Clinton are linked or if the pest entered the state through another pathway.

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Quarantine

  • APHIS Expands the Quarantine for Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) in Michigan

    • Oct 13, 2023

    • USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

    • Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), is expanding the quarantine for the box tree moth (BTM, Cydalima perspectalis) to include all of Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Jackson, Livingston, Monroe, Oakland, and Wayne Counties in Michigan.

Federally Regulated

  • Import Federal Orders

    • USDA. APHIS. Plant Protection and Quarantine.

    • A Federal Order is a legal document issued in response to an emergency when the Administrator of APHIS considers it necessary to take regulatory action to protect agriculture or prevent the entry and establishment into the United States of a pest or disease. Federal Orders are effective immediately and contain the specific regulatory requirements.

Videos

  • YouTube - Check Your Boxwoods for the Box Tree Moth!

    • Aug 28, 2023

    • Google. YouTube; USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

    • Is something attacking your boxwoods? Don’t wait! Check your boxwood plants for signs of the invasive box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) before it's too late. A box tree moth infestation is lethal to boxwood plants. Watch the video to learn more about what to look for and how to save your boxwood plant.

  • YouTube - Box Tree Moth

    • Google. YouTube; Toronto Master Gardeners.

All Resources

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Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source.

Partnership
Federal Government
International Government
State and Local Government
Academic
Professional
Citations