CLEVELAND — An invasive pest that threatens one of Ohio’s most popular landscape plants has been detected in four more counties, including Cuyahoga and Ashtabula , state agriculture officials announced Thursday.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of box tree moths in monitoring traps in Ashtabula, Clark, Cuyahoga and Preble counties. The moth, which was first detected in Ohio in June 2023, has now been found in the below 11 counties statewide:

Ashtabula

Butler

Clark

Clermont

Cuyahoga

Hamilton

Greene

Miami

Montgomery

Preble

Warren

The box tree moth is native to East Asia and poses a major threat to boxwood shrubs, a staple in landscaping and a key part of Ohio’s nursery stock economy. Infestations can cause severe damage to shrubs, making them unsella

See Full Page