Gardeners on Cape Cod are warned to be on the lookout for an invasive pest. Barnstable County said in a recent advisory to residents that the box tree moth is damaging shrubs in several Massachusetts towns.

The moth, which is native to Asia, was first spotted on the Cape in 2023.

"Since then, it has caused serious damage to boxwoods in parts of the Upper and Mid Cape," the advisory stated.

Box tree moths

The county said boxwoods "are one of the most common ornamental shrubs used in Cape Cod landscaping." The box tree moth caterpillars eat the leaves and can strip the entire boxwood bare, killing the plant.

A boxwood hedge destroyed by the moths. Barnstable County

The young caterpillars are green with black heads. They spin silk webs to hold leaves together as they feed, a

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