In an email to the editorial office, the Reader wrote:

I wanted to raise an environmental issue that has seriously affected Bolesławiec and the surrounding area this year, yet has not been addressed anywhere so far—unless I have overlooked something. The city has been attacked by a pest originating in Asia called the box tree moth (or the Asian box tree moth). It is a type of butterfly that, while not directly harmful to humans, can cause serious problems.

The larvae of this butterfly (caterpillars) feed primarily on boxwood leaves, and the moths mainly lay their eggs on boxwood. These caterpillars are so voracious that they can literally “eat” an entire boxwood plant within a few weeks.

The pest’s activity is already visible in the city; most boxwood plants have already been eaten away. This pest is active from the end of April until September, so serious damage will soon be visible in the city. Several generations of this pest appear during the year, from the end of April to September, and each successive generation is more numerous.

Why am I reporting the problem? There is a lot of boxwood in the city—not only on private properties, but also in municipal green areas. The pest generally attacks boxwood, but it can also “eat” other plants growing next to boxwood, including trees. It is so voracious that the plant literally disappears before one’s eyes.

In Bolesławiec, I have noticed larvae not only on boxwood, but also on trees near the military unit (they fall from the trees). Gardeners write online that commonly known and available chemical products are not very effective against this pest. The pest is dangerous for several reasons. It completely destroys boxwood and the plants growing next to it. Since it mainly feeds on boxwood, which is naturally poisonous, the moths also contain poison after metamorphosis. Cases of serious poisoning—for example, of cats that hunt the moths—are described online.

Another threat this pest may bring in the future is that it is a delicacy for the Asian hornet, and the first Asian hornets have already appeared in Poland. The widespread presence of the box tree moth may attract these hornets. In England, it was observed last year that the larvae of these moths are eaten by jackdaws [...].

And added:

It is therefore worth considering protecting jackdaws in our city; it is better to have jackdaws than hornets.

What does Bolesławiec City Hall think? We asked about the matter at the beginning of this week and are awaiting a response.