Dragonfli's Three-Step Strategy To Combat The Entire Box Tree Moth Life Cycle
Box Tree Moths overwinter as caterpillars that hide deep inside the Box Plant foliage. As temperatures warm, the caterpillars will pupate and transform into moths. The female moths will proceed to mate and begin laying eggs in little clusters on Box tree plants. These eggs will then hatch into the damaging caterpillars that devastate and kill Box plants and hedges.
Dragonfli are on hand to help, however, and can now provide natural solutions against two critical stages of the Box Tree Moth life cycle!
Box Tree Caterpillars feed on Box plants and hedges and are capable of killing Buxus entirely if left untreated.
Stage 1: Catch Adult Box Tree Moths With Pheromone Traps To Reduce Egg Laying
The first step to take in combating Box Tree Moths is to set up your Box Tree Moth Pheromone Traps. These traps will catch male Box Tree Moths and prevent them from mating with females. The traps will also provide you with a valuable early warning of Box Tree Moth activity.
Our Box Tree Moth Pheromone Traps are the first key component in the defence against Box Tree Moth infestations.
Box Tree Moths have 2-3 generations a year, so it is good practice to keep your Box Tree Pheromone Traps active all spring and summer. Each pheromone lure lasts about six weeks, after which it should then be replaced. You can find replacement lures by clicking here.
Pheromone traps used solely will not catch enough Box Tree Moths to prevent entire infestations, so please be sure to also follow the next steps.
Box Tree Moths are identifiable with white coloured wings bordered by brown. They have a wingspan of roughly 4cm.
Stage 2: Apply Nematodes Directly Onto Box Tree Caterpillars
If Box Tree Caterpillars are observed on Box plants, apply our Box Tree Caterpillar Killer Nematodes directly onto the caterpillars. Only apply the nematodes if caterpillars are present. More than one application may be required, which is why two sachets of nematodes are included in Box Tree Caterpillar Killer. Apply the first sachet when Box Tree Caterpillars are identified, and apply the second sachet about a week later.
Simply spray our Box Tree Caterpillar Killer directly onto the caterpillars and the nematodes will enter the pest via a natural opening, before killing the caterpillars from inside.
Make sure unopened nematode sachets are stored in a fridge to keep them fresh, and avoid applying nematodes on bright, sunny days, as nematodes are U.V sensitive. The optimum conditions for applying nematodes are warm, overcast, humid days. Alternatively, simply apply the nematodes early, or late on in the day.
Box Tree Caterpillars can grow up to 30mm in length and are a greenish-yellow colour. They can be concealed within webbing spun around buxus plants.
Stage 3: Invigorate Renewed Box Plant Growth
Our two natural solutions combine to provide a complete biological control of Box Tree Moths and protect your valuable Box Hedges and plants from this devastating pest.
If looking to provide your Box plants with a further aid to recovery, consider also applying our Soil Boost biostimulant granules.
Soil Boost acts as an organic slow release fertiliser, helping the Box plants achieve newly invigorated growth after stress and damage.
If you ever need any further advice on how to combat Box Tree Moths feel free to get in touch via email at sales@dragonfli.co.uk, via social media, or by giving us a call on 01376 563322, and we’d be happy to assist.
Comments (Responses)
Julian Ives
Hi Kirsty, thanks for getting in touch.
I’m so glad to hear that our Box Tree Moth Trap is proving to be mightily effective for you.
Yes, we would recommend to drown the caught moths, empty the trap and then set it up again. You do not need to replace the trap and only need to replace the pheromone lure after it has been active for 6 weeks, such is the duration of this pheromone. Once the six weeks have elapsed dispose of the lure and replace it with your second lure.
With regards to now using the parasitic wasps contained within our Box Tree Moth Egg Killer Sachets, outside temperatures are dropping so the conditions are only borderline optimal for effective application. I would instead advise that, if you can identify the Box Tree Caterpillars, you remove them as best you can and spray them with out Box Tree Caterpillar Killer nematodes – ensuring the nematodes come into direct contact with the caterpillars.
Hope this all helps but if you need any further advice please feel free to get in touch again.
Kind regards, Julian Ives [Director, Dragonfli]
Kirsty Duffy
Brilliant box moth trap which is full of moths after 48 hours! What do we do now? Do we drown them and replace the trap? Would buy a second trap but they are expensive… Got a second lure as well. Should we do the parasitic wasp now? Only a smallish hedge but clearly a biggish infestation. Any advice gratefully received.
Julian Ives
Hi Jane, thanks for getting in touch.
I am sorry to hear that such an old and impressive box plant is infested with the horrible Box Tree Caterpillar pests. I’m glad that the pheromone trap has caught some of the moths but indeed the treatment required would need to consist of more than just this trap.
I believe that due to the potential scale of caterpillar infestation, and relative age and size of the buxus, that the treatment required would also require more than a nematode treatment, which as you point out would also be challenging to spray in such a location.
In this case the best course of action would be to contact a company who could arrange for someone to visit that holds a professional spraying certificate. This professional would then have license to apply the product Dipel DF, which is a biological insecticide that can be used for the control of caterpillars.
Our parent company, Koppert, may be able to direct you further. Feel free to contact them here:
https://www.koppert.co.uk/contact/
I hope this helps but if you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to ask.
Kind regards, Julian Ives [Director, Dragonfli]
Jane Wolley Dod
I have a box tree which is about 400 yrs old and about 40’ high. It is situated over a public pavement and is infested with caterpillars. I can tell as the pavement is covered with the poo of the caterpillars. The tree is too high to spray and is in a public area. I would love to save it. I have pheromone
Trap it has caught about 50 moths.
16 September, 2023
Susie
Hi I have a mild infestation of box moth caterpillars over a large garden of box topiary and have sprayed with nematodes. I’m just wondering, given the time of year, should I bother with moth traps and wasps for this season. If not, when do you suggest I start up those things next year. Many thanks. Susie