Box moth caterpillars

[IfyouStealMySunshine]

My poor hedges have been infected by these things so am in the process of cutting them down and disposing of it.

My question is do I need to take all of the bushes out including roots or can I cut way back to leave bare branches (maybe down to a quarter in height) and grow something fast growing round them like clematis or will the caterpillars never really leave then?

I’m on a budget and don’t have the heavy duty tools to cut and dig out the bushes so trying to make the best out of a bad situation really.

Happened to our buxus! We cut right back and it came back ok a year later

theyre here again and we ordered something from Amazon specifically for these

We treat the caterpillars several times a year, have used different methods (including picking them off by hand when we had a puppy around) and our box hedges have survived and regrown so far. They vary in terms of how badly they are affected though and they do seem to return each year now. Are they completely destroyed?

I’ve been plagued by them too.

I am really gutted about it as my hedges were planted by gran in the 50s and she is no longer here.

I didn’t realise there might be hope if they could be cut right back? I really hope so 🤞🏻

We had the same issue! We used the stuff off Amazon a couple of times and things started to get better however they got bad again and we have ended up pulling them all out this year and replanting something else (I can’t remember the name off it off my head but it’s not buxus) that should grow into a nice box hedge eventually

Oh dear. We have this for the first time this year, as do my neighbours. I think you can cut back or treat, but honestly? If you're talking about a pesticide, that is going to be bad for any other living things. I'm going to dig them out and replace the low ones with lavender. Nicer for pollinators and not too expensive. I'm going to lose a couple of the big ones, but box is a bit old school. Time for something more blousey. (Or you could replace with eunonymous?)

These butterflies only eat box, so nothing else will be bothered by them.

We have had a lot of good fortune and saved 8 five foot high box bushes, by picking off caterpillars and using the hormone traps - we have two suspended on a beech tree and a lilac right next to the box plants. Also an intensive “feed” and plenty of watering to help the bushes regrow where patches have been damaged.

I don’t know if they can recover if totally destroyed but perhaps it’s worth a try - but only if you’re prepared to use something like the hormone trap (apparently it’s only the box moths that are attracted to it and die) otherwise you’ll just keep seeing the moth return

Thanks for the tips - I’ve got 2 large bushes that have merged in to one over time.
One has definitely had it and to be honest the other is probably not far off.

Just peeked out the window and some birds are having an absolute caterpillar buffet so suppose that’s a silver lining.

I’ll try cutting right back then and give it a whirl with the clematis - and who knows if it comes back next year that’s a bonus.