Britain’s Box Trees Under Siege: “Our Magnificent Box Trees Were Stripped Bare in Days”

Britain’s Box Trees Under Siege: “Our Magnificent Box Trees Were Stripped Bare in Days”

Have you noticed your box trees looking a little lacklustre this spring? You may have the dreaded box tree caterpillar. Across the UK, gardeners are reporting once-pristine box plants suddenly turning dull, patchy and, in some cases, completely stripped of leaves. The culprit is the invasive Box tree moth, whose fast-moving caterpillars can devastate hedges and topiary in a matter of days. In this piece, one reader shares their experience of dis…