A truly fascinating and audible phenomenon is happening in Ohio gardens right now. The tiny worm-like larvae of the boxwood leaf miner have awoken and are voraciously feeding inside boxwood leaves. This chewing can be so noisy that it can be heard standing several feet away, as I experienced while inspecting a property in Lewis Center last week. Typically, though, a crackling noise can be heard by putting your ear near an “unhealthy-looking” boxwood this time of year. If you gently break open a leaf, you will discover the hungry invaders, wiggling between the leaf surfaces.
Hear the sound of larvae feeding on the leaves of a boxwood — just Ignore the sound of the chirping birds!
These larvae will soon, within weeks, finish their development and exit the leaves as adult flies. They resemble small yellow or orange mosquitoes that hover around the shrub while they breed and lay eggs inside the new boxwood spring leaves. The eggs hatch in summer and begin to devour the internal leaf tissue causing blister-like wounds. A boxwood that has been infested for a few years will look sickly in general with yellow, orange, or brown splotches on the leaves. Defoliation and even death is possible if the infestation is extensive and left untreated.
Gently break open a leaf to witness the hungry invaders
If you notice a ruckus coming from your shrubs this spring, do not ignore it. Eavesdrop on them yourself or call Russell Tree Experts to have one of our knowledgeable arborists diagnose this pest and evict them from your shrubbery.
I wish you a lovely spring filled with the sounds of songbirds, not munching maggots.
Krista Harris | Regional Manager, Russell Tree Experts
Krista grew up in the central Ohio area and became an ISA certified arborist in 2017. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Crop Science and a minor in Plant Pathology in 2000 and has been in the green industry ever since. Her favorite trees are the American sycamore, American beech, and giant sequoia.