Official Pest Report

Official Pest Reports are provided by National Plant Protection Organizations within the NAPPO region. These Pest Reports are intended to comply with the International Plant Protection Convention's Standard on Pest Reporting, endorsed by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in March 2002.

Cydalima perspectalis (Box Tree Moth): APHIS Establishes a Quarantine in New York State

Country: United States

Title: Cydalima perspectalis (Box Tree Moth): APHIS Establishes a Quarantine in New York State

Contact:
Allen Proxmire, National Policy Manager, at (301) 851-2307.

Report:

Effective immediately, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the New York State Agriculture and Markets (NYSAGM), is establishing a quarantine for the box tree moth (BTM) in Erie, Niagara, and Orleans Counties in the State of New York.

BTM is a destructive pest of boxwood (Buxus species). APHIS is taking this action in response to confirmed detections of all BTM life stages in Niagara County, New York. BTM was first detected in New York on July 16, 2021. This is the first detection of a breeding population of BTM in the United States. Since the initial detection, APHIS has worked with NYSAGM to restrict host movement, delimit the infestation, engage stakeholders, and conduct outreach. APHIS, NYSAGM, industry, and research partners are working closely to develop useful pest control tools.

APHIS is prohibiting the interstate movement of regulated articles of Buxus sp. from Erie, Niagara, and Orleans Counties in New York. Regulated articles include the whole plant, all plant parts, pieces, cuttings, clippings, debris, and any portion of the plant, alive or dead. APHIS is taking this action to prevent the spread of BTM to the rest of the United States. These measures parallel the intrastate quarantine that NYSAGM established on December 10, 2021.

A Federal Order outlines the safeguarding measures required for protecting the industry from this pest. The Federal Order and additional information about BTM may be found at:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/box-tree-moth

Under IPPC standards, Cydalima perspectalis is a pest that is present only in some areas in New York. This species is not widely distributed and is under official control in the United States.

Posted Date: April 4, 2022, 2:02 p.m.