I Have Four Established Boxwood Bushes In The Front Of…
Becky Asked
I have four established boxwood bushes in the front of my house. I noticed yesterday a white sticky substance all over the four bushes. Today there are millions of red flying bugs. They were all over me before I got in the door. What are they and what do I use to get rid of them before they get to my garden?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hi, Becky: It is difficult to determine exactly what is going on with your boxwoods but from what you have described it sounds like you might be dealing with a couple of different insects. The white sticky substance could be a boxwood psyllid (Psylla buxi): as the nymphs hatch in the spring they produce a white substance that covers their bodies. At this stage they will feed on the new growth, causing the foliage to curl up and sometimes drop. As adults they will continue to feed on the boxwood and lay their eggs for next year’s generation. As for the red flying insects, this sounds like boxwood leafminer (Monarthropalpus flavus); the adults resemble orange gnats and are found this time of year. They are getting ready to lay their eggs so eliminating them now will drastically reduce next year’s population. Sevin is a foliar spray that will take care of both of these insects but before you spray, I cannot be certain this is the problem with your evergreens, so it is a good idea to take a sample to your County Cooperative Extension office for a proper diagnosis. You do not need to worry about these insects going from your boxwoods to the rest of your garden. Fortunately, insects are quite selective and do not jump from one plant to the next.
