Cecil County Placed Under Quarantine Due to Box Tree Moth Infestation

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has placed Cecil County under quarantine due to an infestation of the invasive box tree moth. The quarantine, which also affects Caroline and Queen Anne's counties, requires growers and shippers to have a certification of inspection and a signed compliance agreement to move boxwoods into or out of quarantined areas.

Box tree moths are native to east Asia and were first spotted in the United States in 2021. They have since spread rapidly across the eastern seaboard, including Delaware and Pennsylvania. The moths can cause significant damage to boxwood plants, defoliating them and eventually killing them.

Rick McDaniels, owner of Insecta Pro, a pest control service based in Elkton, recommends using essential oils to treat boxwoods, but notes that each tree would cost $100 to treat. He also suggests picking off caterpillars from bushes in the caterpillar stage and putting them in a bucket of soapy water.

Residents can look for signs of infestation on their boxwood plants, including small pellets of green-black frass, webbing along stems/branches, and defoliated leaves. If an infestation is detected, homeowners are advised to prune out infested branches and consider cutting down or removing the shrub completely.