Increasingly common in gardens, box caterpillar can completely defoliate box plants. Though relatively new to Britain, it has spread widely across England – particularly London and surrounding areas – and has reached the rest of the UK and Ireland.
Box tree caterpillars are the larvae of a moth that feeds on box (Buxus) plants. It is
A native plant is one that originated or arrived naturally in a particular place without human involvement. In the British Isles, native plants are those that were here during the last ice age or have arrived unaided since.
The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn.
Gardeners are likely to become aware of box tree caterpillar when they notice defoliation or find webbing and caterpillars on box plants.
Have you seen box tree moth? We would like to know.
As part of our research, the RHS would like to know where box tree moth has been seen. Please submit your records via our box tree moth survey (expected time to complete survey = two minutes).
Between 2015 and 2016, over 800 records of the moth were received. This jumped to over 3000 in 2017 and since 2018 have remained at more than 5 000 a year. The box tree moth is now considered to be a “common resident”, being widely distributed across England, particularly the south-east. It is also present in Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Thank you to everyone who has submitted records so far.
If you are looking for an alternative to box then there are plenty of shrubs that lend themselves similarly well to clipping. Where it has become impractical to control box tree caterpillar, consider using a different hedge or topiary plant. Read our guide to choosing box alternatives, and then browse our box alternatives selection page to find a plant that works for you. Read more about our ongoing Box alternatives trial where a range of compact evergreen shrubs are being grown at RHS Garden Wisley. The trial is situated in the Walled Garden at the end of the Jellicoe Canal in front of The Old Laboratory building. No box alternative has all the attributes of box, however, several of the shrubs are promising options; there are alternatives with small leaves that can be clipped into formal hedging styles.
Protect your garden RHS statement on pesticides in horticulture Box alternatives trial at RHS Garden Wisley
The first occurrance of larvae of the box tree moth Cydalima perspectalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in private gardens in the UK (Adobe Acrobat pdf document) The box-tree moth Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859) in Britain: an overview of its spread and current status (Adobe Acrobat pdf document)
First records of two natural enemies of box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), in Britain (Adobe Acrobat pdf document)
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