Increased Number Of Invasive Box Tree Moth Pests Found Across The U.K.

A colder spring has led to a delay in the development of some insect pest populations but they are still likely to appear and preparations should be made to protect vulnerable plants. One of these pests is the invasive Box Tree Moth, which is gradually moving up the U.K. from the south of England. This non-native pest spread to the U.K. from France a few years ago. New generations are now being reported across the channel, so we should assume that it won't be long before their U.K. cousins are also active. 

The Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) is an invasive species which spread to the U.K. from France.

Protect Your Box Plants With Our Box Tree Moth Pheromone Traps

The first step in protecting your Box plants should be to monitor and catch the adult male moths with our Box Tree Moth Pheromone Traps. Assemble and place the trap near your Box Tree Hedges and plants. The traps will then release a pheromone into the surrounding area that attracts the male Box Tree Moths into the traps where they are then caught. The traps do not catch the female moths, so you may still see Box Tree Moths flying near the traps but not entering. The pheromone lures provided contain a tiny amount of pheromone that is often not visible to the naked eye, even when supplied in transparent plastic vials. The pheromone vial should be removed from its silver foil pack and placed in the top of the trap. The vial itself should not be opened, as the pheromone seeps through the plastic ensuring a measured dose to attract the male Box Tree Moths. These pheromone lures should be replaced every six weeks to ensure the traps are active during the Box Tree Moth flying season, which can have 2-3 generations lasting into the autumn. You can acquire replacement lures here.

Our Box Tree Moth Pheromone Traps will curb infestation levels by catching the male moths and limiting Box Moth mating. They will also provide an indicator as to the severity of your infestation.

Control Box Tree Caterpillar Infestations With Our Box Tree Caterpillar Killer Nematodes

Our Box Tree Pheromone Traps, despite being capable of catching high numbers of male Box Tree Moths, do not always provide enough protection solely to protect Box plants from Box Tree Caterpillar infestations. There is now, however, a biological and natural pest control solution available in the form of nematodes. Our Box Tree Caterpillar Killer Nematodes should be applied directly onto the Box Tree Caterpillars once they are observed on the plants. These microscopic eelworm-like organisms enter the caterpillars and release a natural bacteria inside the caterpillar that kills it. The nematodes then reproduce within the body of the caterpillar, releasing more nematodes.

Our Box Tree Caterpillar Nematodes provide a natural solution for Box Tree Caterpillar infestations. Simply water them directly onto the caterpillars and await a reduction in your pest infestation.

How To Apply Our Box Tree Caterpillar Killer Nematodes

The key to a successful application of our Box Tree Caterpillar Nematodes is to apply them at the right time, and in the right conditions. Nematodes are U.V sensitive, so should not be applied on bright sunny days. They also require lots of moisture, so applying with plenty of water is important. The nematodes should also be applied on overcast, or humid, days when there is plenty of moisture in the air. The nematodes have a limited amount of time to find and kill the caterpillars, so trying to get them into direct contact with the caterpillars is important. Sometimes more than one application may be required, as it can be difficult to infect all the caterpillars with one application.

Sprayers are the best way to apply this form of nematodes, as they can help direct the nematode solution directly onto the caterpillars inside the hedge, or onto the leaf canopy where the caterpillars are present. These can be small sprayers, knapsack sprayers, or ideally our specific nematode application sprayers such as our Nema Super Sprayer. If using your own sprayer, make sure to remove all filters to avoid the possibility of getting nematodes stuck inside the sprayer. 

Apply Box Tree Caterpillar Nematodes directly onto the caterpillars with our Nema Super Sprayer for optimum application.

Help Recover Damaged Box Plants With Our Soil Boost

The general health of Box Tree plants can also be improved with the use of biostimulants. This is especially important after an attack by Box Tree Caterpillars, or after diseases such as Box Blight. One such biostimulant is called Soil Boost, a plant based biostimulant that helps the Box plants put on more top growth and root growth, which leads to a significantly healthier plant. This growth also makes the plants more resilient to attack from pests and diseases.

Use our Soil Boost to recover Box plants. Observe improved plant growth and greater resilience to pests and diseases after using the biostimulant.