The Ohio Department of Agriculture has issued a quarantine order for part of the state to prevent the spread of boxwood moths. One was found in eastern Hamilton County last year. Plant Health Division Chief Dan Kenny says they've been working on the paperwork for the quarantine since then.
"In its larval stage, the caterpillars will feed on leaves of boxwood shrubs. Boxwood is probably the most widely planted shrub in Ohio," he says. "So, we're doing this to both try to protect people's landscapes and our businesses that rely on boxwood in trade."
The Ohio Department of Agriculture is discouraging landscapers and homeowners from moving plants outside of the quarantined counties, which include Hamilton, Butler, Clermont, Greene, Montgomery and Warren.
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"The quarantine is designed to really slow the spread of the insect," he explains. "Folks, if they were to purchase nursery stock or dig nursery stock out of their yards and transport it somewhere else, it can still move through normal means, but this sort of regulation is designed to stop that artificial spread."
Kenny says they are setting traps, but hope people report any sightings or infestations.
"We have a reporting tool online. You can upload a picture of it and let us know where that is. You can take a coordinate point with your phone, or just enter in an address, and we will be able to get that data and follow up as necessary."
Kenny says it's a relatively new pest to the area, and control research is still catching up.
