Ohio quarantines 6 counties to contain invasive moth
State officials announced a quarantine for six southwest Ohio counties to help contain the box tree moth, an invasive species. The quarantine follows similar measures in New York and Michigan in 2023, where the moth was also detected.
The box tree moth can significantly damage and kill boxwood, a popular landscaping shrub that’s used widely on commercial and residential properties due to its vibrant color and dense foliage.
Peak feeding season for the box tree moth caterpillars, which feed exclusively on boxwood, is March to late April or early May.
Boxwood sales in 2019 were valued at $141 million nationally, and the shrub is considered to be a crucial part of Ohio’s nursery stock economy, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Starting Thursday, landscapers and residents in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Greene, Montgomery and Warren counties will need to check quarantine boundaries and not transport boxwood shrubs outside of them. Residents can read quarantine rules here.
Residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with signs of the moth and report sightings to the Ohio Plant Pest Reporter. State and federal health inspectors will be placing traps in the quarantine area to help monitor moth populations.
A boxwood shrub with moth damage has “chewed, cut, or missing leaves, yellowing or brown leaves, white webbing, and green-black excrement on or around the plant,” according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Box tree moth caterpillars are green and yellow, with black and white stripes and black spots running down their back. Adult box tree moths are nocturnal and have white wings with a thick brown border.
Questions about quarantine regulations can be directed to the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Plant Pest Control Program at 614-728-6400.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: An invasive moth species was detected in southwest Ohio. Here's how to check your yard for it
