Boxwood moth traps are booming in affected regions. Here you can find out whether pheromone traps are actually effective against the borer and what their benefits are.
Anyone who owns a boxwood hedge (Buxus) will sooner or later come across the boxwood moth (Cydalima perspectalis). - whether in your own garden, in an advertisement in a hardware store or in horror stories from other boxwood owners. Because the hungry pest is spreading - its distribution area is growing across Germany. Southern regions in particular are affected. Before you succumb to the sometimes brazen advertising in the DIY store and look forward to a carefree summer, you will find the necessary facts about box tree moth traps here.
We will inform you in detail about the functionality and effectiveness of pheromone traps for box tree moths. We also show the great benefit of these traps, even if they cannot be used to control moths.
How do box tree moth traps work?
Traps for box tree moths work without insecticides and are not used to control moths. Instead, they use very specific sex pheromones that are only perceived by male boxwood moths. They trigger a reaction in these: the male suspects a female ready to mate behind the chemical code of the scent and goes in search of the source of the attractant. When the moth arrives at the trap that emits the alluring odor, it follows the trail to a sticky glue board or into a trapping funnel where a water trap awaits. In any case, the little animal is bound and sooner or later dies. In this way, the presence of the pest can be reliably verified.
Tip for making water traps more effective: If a box tree moth trap with a water trap is used, a drop of washing-up liquid in the collecting container can improve the success of the catch. If the moth hits the water, it sinksmuch faster due to the reduced surface tension.
Are box moth traps effective?
Because it corresponds to the biology of the box tree moth that only the females send out attractants to attract the males, only traps to catch the males are possible. How well the moths are attracted depends on both the positioning and the mixture of attractants in the respective trap. Our Plantura borer trap is a water trap that covers an area of up to 180 square meters. It is also extremely robust and therefore reusable and does not require any insecticides. Our moth trap comes with 6 attractant dispensers that you should replace every 4 to 6 weeks.
In no case will all flying males end up in the set up trap, but that is not the aim of a box tree moth trap. It should not prevent the fertilization and thus the laying of eggs by the females, but should recognize the appearance of the nocturnal animals at an early stage in order to be able to predict the imminent laying of eggs and the development of caterpillars.
Znslertrap to detect the cycles
Because the moths are nocturnal and the caterpillars are difficult to track down due to their coloration and position in the boxwood, knowing when the moths fly is of great use to you. Because that way you know when the search for the caterpillars makes sense and you can quickly take countermeasures after discovering the caterpillars. The development of the moths depends on the weather, but it happens roughly as follows: The adult moths, i.e. moths capable of mating, develop from overwintered caterpillars around the beginning of June, then quickly complete the mating and die again. The laid eggs develop into the first large caterpillar generation of the year in July, pupate and also become moths in August. These mate, lay eggs, and the resulting caterpillars hibernate again-until next April, when the cycle begins again.
Note: The development stages of the moth can vary slightly from year to year. In southern Germany, three generations per year are possible due to the temperature, which makes close observation all the more important.
When looking at the biology of the moth, it becomes clear that the use of sprays or another type of control makes sense at least two times a year - namely when the caterpillars on the boxwood are active andcan also be damaged by the agent. However, up to four cycles are possible per year, so monitoring using a trap should take place between March and October to ensure reliable moth monitoring. You can find out more about the right time to combat the moth in this article.
Conclusion: box tree moth trap
The development phases of the moths can vary, but with your own trap, such as the Plantura moth trap, you always know exactly when an infestation with the voracious caterpillars is to be expected. Combating the moth with a trap is, however, not possible under any circumstances. The trap only shows you when it is the right time to fight the moths. However, this is the necessary prerequisite for effective and targeted control of the voracious caterpillars, because the caterpillars hatch about one to two weeks after the moths have been sighted. Then you should act as soon as possible to prevent defoliation. A biological spray such as our Plantura Zünslerfrei XenTari® is ideal for combating this.
For more information on biological control of the box tree moth, we recommend this article. For a further overview of box tree moth control measures, here is a general summary.