What you NEED to know to beat Box Moth

Learn all about how to keep box moth away - all the important things you need to know.
Special thanks to EBTS www.ebts.org/e... for their videos and images, for more information on Box take a look at their website and join them!
Some of the tools/ products I use:
Hedge trimmer : www.stihl.co.uk/
Mulch : amzn.to/2VgUQnN / amzn.to/37IHJ19
Feed: amzn.to/37G3HBT
Fungicide commercial Signum: www.agricentre...
Biopesticide (for Box moth) commercial Dipel: www.valentbios...
Insecticide retail for Box moth: amzn.to/38IBKun, amzn.to/32809XQ
Moth trap: www.topiaryart...
Box plants , more resistant varieties of Buxus Mycrophylla etc: www.herplant.b...
Sprayer www.cooper-peg...
Directed by : Rowena Lyon
Filmed and Edited by: www.ellenjackso......

[@perspicaciouscritic]

Useful video for controlling ones own personal box hedges but two points worth noting: 1) In the long run, so long as the caterpillars have no natural enemies, you will be spraying for as long as you tend to the plants, as the moths will travel toward your garden from neighbouring box trees to lay their eggs. So, unless every single UK private and public botanical gardener sprays their hedges, or unless a birth control method is introduced into the population, these invasive insects will thrive in the UK forever and eventually eradicate the box tree. In short, spraying is a Band-Aid, nothing more. That said... 2) If you choose to eliminate the caterpillars by hand, I would collect both the caterpillars and pupae in a small container, then place them far away from the box hedges, at the base of an unrelated tree, so robins, blue tits, wasps and other predators could develop an appetite for the pests and eventually learn to search for them, as a few wasps are currently doing with our box trees. If enough box tree owners did this, we would at least have a partner in helping to keep numbers down.

[@stevewatering932]

Glad someone has mentioned something more organic as a way of dealing with this issue!!!

[@judepicton6252]

Your mum noticing her box plant pulling together ,the best description ever .I noticed my best box plant was really tight,I assumed it was finally my excellent pruning ! Having listened to your mum's description I had a look inside & my goodness ,box moth has stripped the inside . I have never heard this description before &it is a perfect warning of what is going on .Thankyou

[@AranJackson]

So i've finally accepted my box trees need to be removed. 2 years it's been stripped of all leaves despite hand removing and spraying. such a shame. Northamptonshire, UK.

[@elizabethmacfarlane1456]

The caterpillar arrived in my garden last year (Essex) I tried various off the shelf bug killers these only slowed them down . I’ve found the best treatment is the Xentari from topbuxus, I believe this only kills the caterpillar and not other wildlife but you must spray religiously every 2 weeks to keep on top of them. Some of my neighbours lost all their box!

[@bunnyguinness]

Hi, Xentari is very similar to Dipel DF, the biological pesticide which I mentioned in the video. .Although you don’t have to spray Dipel so frequently. You can only apply Dipel if you have your PA1 and PA6 certificates (involves a 2 day course and well worth doing for keen gardeners) The box probably won’t be killed by the caterpillar, it should grow back although it will weaken it.

[@elizabethmacfarlane1456]

Thanks, I shall let the neighbours know all is not lost.

[@lqqkitslory]

We’re in Essex and it arrived here last year too 🤬😭

[@clairetasker9181]

Me too it was great, saved my box

[@Tlwstg17]

I live in Windsor Ontario and those caterpillars set about skeletonizing my beautiful topiary ones at my front window, and damaging 19 other globe boxwoods. I’ve had them 24 years. Thank you for the tip on the moth trap. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

[@stephenhaitako4665]

I am not going to spend the rest of my gardening days spraying box several times a year. I have reconciled myself to not being able to grow it any more. Never liked the smell anyway. Taxus Renke's Kleiner Grüner is an excellent alternative for low border hedging.

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

A moth trap will just draw in every box moths across a ten mile radius. Same for any kind of moth trap, indoors or out.

[@HousewerkRecords]

We have this issue right now. I’ve sprayed with the second brand the lady showed but it wasn’t called Greenfly killer, it has pictures of the bugs it’s meant to be used for. I must say. My box hedge was looking awful but 4 weeks after spraying, the hedge has lots and lots of fresh new growth. We were delighted. Just found more caterpillars yesterday so have sprayed again. They are annoying little creatures, they are climbing my front door trying to get in! Don’t know why. Guess I’ll keep spraying for now or change the hedge plants for something they don’t like.

[@bunnyguinness]

You can help the European Boxwood & Topiary Society track Box Moths and Caterpillars at www.ebts.org/bmctracker And lots of good info on www.herplant.be including when you need to spray

[@davidharvey5812]

Westland Resolva Bug Killer does not work on Box Moths - I basically drowned one of the Box caterpillars in Resolva and put it, then others, into a glass jar with lid to watch them expire... and they are all are still alive days later!!! Picking them off by hand and dispatching them is my best way to clear them. Hopefully, my large Buxus will recover, in time...??

[@jennafountain3642]

Cant you just use Diatomaceous earth while the cats pillars are active?

[@pansepot1490]

Dipel is a commercial name. The “active substance” is Bacillus Thuringensis and it’s available under many different commercial names. Different brands may use different strains. I am told some are more effective than others. I find it strange that in the uk low toxicity products are not available in garden centers for amateur use. Do people really need a professional license to treat a few plants in their back garden? I have lost a small hedge to the moth. It was partially hidden behind other plants so when I realized what was happening it was already too late. I had noticed some caterpillar earlier on but I don’t tend to spray and I would never have imagined that my plants would be eaten to death. Now I have a nice big boxwood cube left and I keep an eye on it. So far I have found that by spraying once in spring when I notice the first chewed leaves is enough to take care of the problem for the whole year. Honestly I don’t see the use of spending money in a professional trap to monitor the moth for the average gardener. Just check your plants. Treating at the first signs of damage is enough to stop the problem. Be advised that by treating too early one may have to treat twice.

[@bunnyguinness]

Your right I should really use name of active substance - always concerned that too much Latin puts people off! It’s not available for retail market presumably because cost of testing for this market would not make financial sense, same applies to other really useful, low toxicity products. As I have never had box moth I’m relieved to hear you easily manage it, usually once you first get a new pest it concerns you but then you soon get to know how to spot it and treat it. Have had comments from quite northern gardens in UK that have got it, so it is travelling fast. Many many thanks for your useful comments!

[@Oughut88]

I use another brand called Lepinox which is the same thing. I buy it from Poland where you can buy it in small quantities and it’s very cheap. It works very well. I’m in Surrey where the water is terribly hard but I haven’t noticed a decrease in effectiveness.

[@Ron2615]

just found one in my garden east london

[@jonathanv8293]

Unfortunately it's now reached the south midlands (Coventry). I had a small infestation this year but was able to find and remove the first generation caterpillars before they did any damage. Luckily didn't get a second generation. Will be keeping a look out for them again in April.

[@e.elsibea1518]

This is very interesting. It begs the question why is this moth moving south in England? Where was it before and was it content? Has it evolved to eat the boxwood? I'd like to know.

[@e.elsibea1518]

@Bunny Guinness Hi Bunny. I'm in Texas, USA, and I am absolutely loving your videos. I'm not sure if we have this particular pest here, but I'm concerned with the mighty little bagworm. I believe the arborvitae is the most vulnerable, but I'm concerned about my boxwood and cypress trees as well. My neighbor currently has a large arborvitae with a pretty substantial bagworm infestation and I'm getting mixed information about how to fight it. I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask if you had any information or could direct me to a trustworthy site. It would be greatly appreciated.

[@bunnyguinness]

Hum, never dealt with this pest. When I get a pest or disease I’m not familiar with I have a commercial consultant who is really knowledgeable. If you can email me I’ll forward it on to him, and see if he can come up trumps. Or maybe the Texas Agri life extension service could help. All the different states in USA seem to have them and they give great advice based on good research in my experience. Hope this helps 🐇

[@Knappa22]

I’m in west Wales. Has it arrived here yet I wonder? My box is looking lovely this year too :(

[@sarahhoops9696]

Just arrived last year in Shropshire so not fr from you

[@Knappa22]

@@sarahhoops9696 it arrived here too, after I posted that :( Parterre has been ruined. Looks like I’ll have to dig the whole lot out and find an alternative 😣

[@sarahhoops9696]

@@Knappa22 just seen the national trust video asking questions the head gardener at hidecott, they give alternatives for box. I am treating mine already treated once this year will do it next week unless raining.

[@KathleenEdgley]

Ive got it in Cambridgeshire. Anyone know someone who can treat it. Have tried several pest controllers but no luck!

[@vintage1950]

Just discovered them in my garden 😭

[@nickthegardener.1120]

It's in Northampton now!

[@bunnyguinness]

I think it will spread throughout the Uk eventually there is a new product out this week in the Uk called Box T Pro Press. It’s used in extensive box gardens in France successfully, will do a video on it shortly 🐇

[@nickthegardener.1120]

@@bunnyguinness Will tell my customer who has 25 box balls! Thanks 👍

[@stephengregory421]

In Nottingham too...

[@mrdelaney4440]

Its as far north as warrington.

[@nickthegardener.1120]

@@mrdelaney4440 it's really bad in Northamptonshire this year.😕👍

[@Trident750UK]

It’s in Altrincham..!!!!

[@bunnyguinness]

sorry late response but many thanks for updating me!

[@maxxam1207]

@@bunnyguinness Use lava dust , much nutrients and they hate the dust. Very efficient

[@hanahorack4287]

​@@maxxam1207where to get lava dust?

[@jeffbarbour2194]

Japanese box is great

[@simplysimon966]

Horrid.....leave them alone