KY FY25 Box Tree Moth Survey 1S.0123.01

Box Tree Moth (BTM) is originally from Asia, but has been causing damage in Europe for some time. It was detected in North America in 2018 in Ontario, Canada. In 2021, BTM was found in retail sites in a few states that had imported boxwoods from Ontario. In Kentucky, we became concerned in 2023 when BTM was found in southern Ohio, just over the Ohio River from Kentucky’s border. Since that detection, restrictions have been imposed on 6 southern Ohio counties so that boxwoods cannot be moved from that area. In early July 2024, BTM was detected in a new area of southwest Ohio (within Clermont County which was already quarantined), approximately 23 km south of the closest known population; therefore, closer to Kentucky than was previously known. With the close proximity of this pest to Kentucky’s northern border, we need to conduct a dedicated survey so that if BTM has spread into the state we can detect it early and have the best chance of eradication. The moths are spread accidentally by humans on boxwoods, but can also spread miles naturally. We will focus our survey on northern Kentucky since it is closest to the BTM infestation. To target both pathways of movement, we will focus on nurseries and garden centers with boxwood movement, but will also target areas with large boxwood plantings in the landscape. BTM was discovered in Delaware in July 2024, far from the known US BTM detections in New York, Michigan, Ohio, and Massachusetts. This surprising detection reinforces the need for surveys since the moth can be introduced in new locations at any time. We will hire independent contractors to set approximately 30 BTM traps, focusing on Boone, Kenton, and Campbell Counties in northern Kentucky. They will check the traps every 2 weeks to ensure that the specimens are in good condition and will mark all survey activities in Survey123.