Box tree moth
The box tree moth is a pretty white moth with a light brown border around its wings. It comes from East Asia, but it has spread to Europe and North America. Its green caterpillars love to munch the leaves of box hedges in gardens and parks.
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Fun facts
It was first found in Europe in Germany in 2006 and then spread to many other countries.
A tiny caterpillar only 1 to 2 millimetres long grows to about 4 centimetres in just four weeks.
In winter a small caterpillar sleeps in a little bed made of two box leaves stuck together with silk.
Some moths are almost all light brown with a white spot instead of white with a brown border.
In Asia, where it comes from, other animals keep it in check, so it does not cause much harm there.
Most asked questions about Box tree moth
?What does the box tree moth caterpillar eat?
Only the leaves and shoots of box bushes.
?How big is the box tree moth?
Its wings are about 4 to 4.5 centimetres across.
?Is the box tree moth dangerous?
Not to people. It can only harm box plants in gardens.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Cydalima perspectalis
- Named by
- Walker, 1859
- Group
- Moths
- Family
- Crambidae
- Classification
- Insecta > Lepidoptera > Crambidae
- Lives on
- Asia, Europe, North America
- Also known as
- Box moth
Where the facts come from
- Cydalima perspectalis (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by Didier Descouens. CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. The round sticker of this bug is cut from the same picture.
If we got something wrong, sorry, we are bug fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
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