Infestation of box tree moth in north Suffolk

[andymctractor]

Hi all, many months back I stopped buying box plants/trees because of the spread of the box tree moth in the uk. Was in the garden today doing some spray painting and noticed the box trees have been mauled by the box tree moth and will all have to be destroyed. This has decimated about 3/4 of my decent tree scenery. I don’t think there is much can be done other than to dig them up and destroy them.

Good luck

[philipy]

Thats such a shame Andy, my sympathies. I have a have a short row of box hiding part of my raised line and I keep watching them, but so far no probs.
We had a 25y/o Ash taken down last week because of Ash Dieback and it's left huge hole at the bottom of the garden.

[invicta280]

I had a short box hedge of about 10 trees alongside my track which got to about 2' in height. I thought I had escaped but alas they were all decimated last year..
I have replaced them with a mixed bag of heather, hebe and another small 'architectural' shrub whose name eludes me, but I have seen advertised a box lookalike which is immune to the moth.
Sorry, I can't remember what it is called but I'm sure its available on line and in garden centres.
My box hedge had a rough fence of brushwood fencing behind it (which is still there ) to keep nosy neighbours at bay.

[ge_rik]

That sounds dreadful, Andy.
I have a couple of box plants in the hedge along one side of the PLR but the vast majority are lonicera nitida

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonicera_nitida

Hopefully these are resistant

Rik

[Andrew]

You have my sympathy too.

Luckily for the railway, which had featured a fair few Box "trees", they were mostly moved to the front garden in a building-work related garden re-design a few years ago - all are now gone.

Good luck with planting replacements...

Andrew.

[andymctractor]

Sharing responsibility with nature for the foliage near the railway has its positives and negatives. The loss of so many ‘trees’ is causing me to rethink a few things with the scenics on the railway. I might just describe the track work as open plan and gradually replace the more important trees with a mixture of plants and shrubs so I’m not dependant on one variety to let me down.
The Crowfoot Light Railway will survive.

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

There is a bacteria that makes a protein which irritates the box moth's stomach lining (to the extent that they die). It also works with Cabbage whites - I've been using it on my purple sprouting broccoli plants. It is approved of for organic farming and doesn't build up in the food chain (the birds get a good meal out of the dead caterpillars).
This is the box I bought - it comes with 5 packets that you add to a watering can. I should imagine for a garden railway's worth of small box trees only half a packet is required. Three applications a year is recommended so that gives you three years of protection for around £20.
If you treat them now I reckon most will put out new leaves and bounce back.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B06XCV ... 18c25d050c

[philipy]

Thanks for that Zach. Mentally filed away for the day when it is needed!

[andymctractor]

There is a bacteria that makes a protein which irritates the box moth's stomach lining (to the extent that they die). It also works with Cabbage whites - I've been using it on my purple sprouting broccoli plants. It is approved of for organic farming and doesn't build up in the food chain (the birds get a good meal out of the dead caterpillars).
This is the box I bought - it comes with 5 packets that you add to a watering can. I should imagine for a garden railway's worth of small box trees only half a packet is required. Three applications a year is recommended so that gives you three years of protection for around £20.
If you treat them now I reckon most will put out new leaves and bounce back.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B06XCV ... 18c25d050c

As I’d been out of action in related to the railway, by the time I’d noticed the problem almost all were decimated. I’ve now been away so the I’m planning to dig out and replace soon after I get home.
This advice will be better taken up by someone discovering an initial infestation but thanks for the advice anyway.