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Box Tree Moth
Box Tree Moth
(Cydalima perspectalis)*Detected in Michigan*
- On boxwood and box tree species (Buxus spp.) - green and yellow caterpillars with white, yellow, and black stripes and black spots.
- Loose webbing in the area of caterpillar activity.
- Evidence of feeding on edges of boxwood or box tree leaves or skeletonization of leaves.
- White moths with a brown border and distinctive white comma-shaped mark on each forewing.
- Less frequently - moths that are entirely brown except for the white mark on each forewing.
- Clusters of 5-20 pale yellow eggs on the leaves of boxwood or box trees.

Box tree moths are generally white with a brown border and a white “comma” on each forewing. Photo courtesy of Szabolcs Sáfián, University of West Hungary, Bugwood.org.
Some box tree moths are entirely brown except for the white forewing spot. Photo courtesy of Szabolcs Sáfián, University of West Hungary, Bugwood.org.

Box trees or boxwoods (Buxus spp.) are small, leaved evergreen trees or shrubs generally used in landscaping. The photo on the left shows a healthy boxwood, and the photo on the right shows a boxwood heavily damaged by box tree moth caterpillars. Photos courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
REPORT BOX TREE MOTH
If you see signs of box tree moth or its caterpillars on your boxwood plants, please take photos and submit a report through Michigan's Eyes in the Field online reporting system.
ABOUT THIS SPECIES
Habitat: Box tree moth and its caterpillars feed on nearly all boxwood or box species, regardless of soil, shade or moisture conditions.
Native Range: Box tree moth is native to East Asia and has become a serious invasive pest in Europe, where it continues to spread. In 2018, it was found in the Toronto area of Canada.
U.S. Distribution: Box tree moth has established populations in New York state. (Note: Box tree moth is established in Canada near the United States close to its border with Niagara County, NY, and Detroit, MI.)
Michigan Distribution: USDA-APHIS and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development are working to track the distribution of potentially affected plants in Michigan.
Michigan Status: Box tree moth is considered an invasive species in Michigan.
Michigan Interior Quarantine: Effective April 10, 2023, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued an interior quarantine for invasive box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) after multiple detections of the invasive species were found in Lenawee county in 2022. The quarantined area includes the entire counties of Lenawee and Washtenaw, the county of Monroe west of US-23 and north of River Raisin, and the county of Jackson south of 1-94 and east of US-127. Under the quarantine, the whole plant, plant parts, and nursery stock of the genus Buxus, including all living and dead material, cannot be moved outside of the quarantined area.
Local Concern: The caterpillars feed mostly on boxwood, and heavy infestations can defoliate host plants. Once the leaves are gone, larvae consume the bark, leading to girdling and plant death. Because there are no natural predators in Michigan, box tree moth can reach large population densities, limited only by available food sources.
Means of Introduction or Spread: On its own, box tree moth can move approximately 5 miles per year. The primary means of introduction in all areas outside its native range is through importation and sale of infested boxwood and box tree nursery stock.
Identification Guide to Boxwood and its Lookalikes
Michigan State University Extension box tree moth webpage
Press release: Box tree moth interior quarantine