The invasive box tree moth was spotted in Hamilton and Clermont counties. That’s after a resident submitted a photo of the insect to the U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this month, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
The box tree moth is an invasive pest native to East Asia. Adult moths are nocturnal and have a thick brown border all the way around their wings, with white in the middle. They also like to eat ornamental boxwood shrubs.
ODA Chief of Plant Health Division Dan Kenny said the moths don't pose an environmental threat to agricultural or food production. However, he said they could pose a threat to Ohio nurseries and garden centers.
“Boxwood shrubs are a huge part of Ohio's horticultural industry. They're a major cash crop and a really important commodity for nurseries,” Kenny said. “So, you know, part of our goal is to try to preserve boxwoods as a horticultural species.”
ODA is currently monitoring sites where the moths have been spotted in partnership with the USDA.
Officials are asking residents to look up what box tree moths look like and learn about the symptoms of a moth damaged boxwood shrub, such as silky webbing on the shrub or yellow or pale green leaves.
If you spot a box tree moth, officials advise you to take a picture and report it to Ohio Department of Agriculture's reporting tool.
Alejandro Figueroa is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.
