The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has reported the presence of Box Tree Moths (BTM) (Cydalima perspectalis (family Crambidae) in Ashtabula, Clark, Cuyahoga, and Preble counties based on catching male moths in BTM monitoring traps. First detected in Ohio in June 2023, BTM has now been found in 11 counties across the state: Ashtabula, Butler, Clark, Clermont, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Warren.

ODA’s plant health inspectors will be placing BTM monitoring traps and surveying these new areas to determine the extent of the populations. The monitoring traps are baited with a synthetic version of the chemical attractant (pheromone) used by BTM females to attract males. The traps only attract male moths and do not affect the spread of BTM.

Box Tree Moth (BTM)

Box Tree Moth (BTM) Caterpillar

The non-native box tree moth only infests boxwoods (Buxus spp.). However, boxwoods provide a landscape service unmatched by other woody ornamentals.

Boxwoods in Ohio Landscape

Boxwoods are evergreen, deer-resistant, and able to thrive across a wide range of environmental conditions. They play a significant role in landscape designs, both in form and function. The value of boxwood bloom in the spring for providing an early-season bounty of pollen and nectar is often overlooked because the small, greenish-yellow flowers blend with their background.

“Mining Bee” on Boxwood Bloom

Boxwoods are an important landscape woody ornamental and a valuable part of Ohio’s nursery stock economy. If you spot BTM, please report it using the online ODA, Ohio Plant Pest Reporter:

https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/1b36dd2cf09e4be0a79776a6104ce1dc

Boxwoods in an Ohio Nursery

For More Information About BTM:

1. Watch the BTM Webinar

The BTM Webinar was recorded on September 10, 2025. The presentations provide an overview of BTM, including its biology, detection, and management, as well as information on the BTM Compliance Agreement administered by the ODA. Preliminary results of cutting-edge research on using genetics to differentiate and characterize resistant boxwoods were provided by Dr. Theresa Culley (University of Cincinnati). Her research is funded by an HRI grant, and her encouraging results thus far bode well for the future of boxwoods in Ohio nurseries and landscapes.

Susceptible Next to Resistant Boxwoods in a Landscape

The BTM Webinar was presented by the Ohio Green Industry Association (OGIA) in partnership with the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) and is now available online by clicking this link: https://ogia.org/page/webinar11

2. Read the OSU BTM Fact Sheets

The OSU Extension BTM Fact Sheet Series served as our handouts for the webinar. Below are the hotlinks. Each online fact sheet includes a link to a printable PDF version. Please feel free to print the fact sheets to give to your colleagues or clients, or to use in your training sessions.

BTM Spread and Life Cycle https://go.osu.edu/btmlifecycle

What to Look for to Detect BTM https://go.osu.edu/btmdetection

BTM Management Options Including Insecticides https://go.osu.edu/btmmanagement

Ron Wilson

In The Garden With Ron Wilson