2nd Wave of Caterpillars Starts
The eggs laid by the box tree moths that have been flying for the last month are now hatching into hungry caterpillars.
So it’s time to look out for:
- Cob-webbing on the leaves of your box hedges and topiary
- Eaten leaves
- Small green frass balls
If you spot these then the caterpillars will be in your hedges and plants so you need to take action. The best thing to do is use a spray that only kills caterpillars such as XenTari (Note: sadly it is not registered for domestic use in the UK) or Nematodes (little worms) neither of these will harm bees or other garden beneficial insects, just caterpillars.
Please also add any sightings of caterpillars to our Box Moth & Caterpillar Tracker, so that we can see how quickly they are spreading and help warn others of the problem.
The moths have now been spotted and recorded on the EBTS UK Tracker in North Wales, Bristol, Southampton, near Sevenoaks and in Nottingham. So wherever you live you should be on the look out for signs of caterpillar damage, act quickly and let your friends know what to do.
Note
The hedging these caterpillars were found in are tgoing to be treated using nematodes sent through the post in a new form. We’ll update you on how it effective and easy to use it is as soon as this Dutch trial is completed. EBTS UK is also hoping to be part of a German trial that will aim to deter female moths from laying eggs in the first place and we will share as much information about the trail results as we can, when they are completed.
