The box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Lep.: Crambidae) (BTM), has been recently introduced into North America with discoveries in 2018 (Toronto, Canada) and 2021 (Niagara, Canada and the USA). BTM was first found in Europe (2007) outside its native range of eastern Asia and spread quickly across most European countries. It is a serious pest of nearly all Buxus spp., with larval defoliation causing decline and ultimately death of the tree. In Canada, the major impact of BTM will be on the residential and commercial landscape industry as Buxus is exclusively an imported, ornamental plant. Information on the phenology and population dynamics of BTM in North America is limited, making it difficult to predict its rate of spread, impact, or the potential for management. We initiated field collections and lab rearing of newly-established BTM populations from Toronto to examine the life history and fitness parameters of this invasive in southern Ontario. Insect life stages were compared to host plant phenology using pheromone traps for adult moths and visual inspections of plants for immature stages. Samples were collected from May to September and compared to degree-day data in order to determine the timing of generations and mortality factors. Life table data were also derived from individual, field-collected BTM reared in the lab until either adulthood or until the emergence of natural enemies. Results on the natural enemy complex attacking BTM in North America will be used to better understand its population dynamics and potential for biological control in long-term integrated management.
