Box Tree Moth
Cydalima perspectalisAlso known as Box Moth, Boxwood Borer
Box tree moths are striking pyraloid moths renowned for their silky white wings bordered by broad, iridescent brown margins, though an entirely brown melanic morph also exists. The vibrant green, black-striped caterpillars feed voraciously on boxwood foliage, spinning dense silk webbing that protects them while they strip entire shrubs down to bare twigs and bark. Originally native to East Asia, their rapid spread across Europe and North America has transformed them into a notorious landscape pest capable of killing historic topiary and wild boxwood stands.
- Common Box Leaves
- Littleleaf Box Leaves
- Flower Nectar
- Asian Hornet
- Great Tit
- Parasitic Wasps
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyCrambidae
- GenusCydalima
- SpeciesCydalima perspectalis
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Monitoring Webbing: Inspect the interior canopy of boxwood shrubs for fine silk sheets and green droppings.
- Night Attraction: Watch for adult moths fluttering near porch lamps or outdoor light fixtures during midsummer.
- Manual Removal: Pick off caterpillars by hand and submerge them in soapy water to protect ornamental hedges.
Found in Collections
Moonlight Marvels
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