The nation's top floriculture state is being threatened by an invasive species that could do untold damage to a popular shrub.
What's happening?
The box tree moth was recently found for the first time in Pennsylvania, being detected at two cemeteries in Erie County, KDKA reported. The state Department of Agriculture announced Sept. 10 that the county was quarantined, calling the insect "highly destructive."
The moth, native to Asia, feeds on boxwood plants, eating their foliage and even bark. Boxwoods are the best-selling evergreen bush in the United States and feature prominently in the Keystone State. Infected plants that are shipped help the animal spread. It has been found in Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Ontario.
"This insect does not harm humans or threaten our food supply," agriculture secretary Russell Redding said. "It threatens livelihoods in our nursery and landscape industry, as well as the parks and gardens that enrich our communities and feed tourism dollars into our economy. Protecting communities and businesses from economic loss is a top priority of the [Gov. Josh] Shapiro Administration."
Why is this important?
Invasive species cost the United States $20 billion every year in resources and management.
They range from ants in New York City to European green crabs off the Washington coast. These species are called "invasive" because they enter areas unknown and — without natural predators to challenge them — outcompete native species for resources, wreaking havoc on balanced ecosystems and causing problems that can take decades to reverse.
The nursery and landscaping workforce in Pennsylvania is 63,000 strong, and the industry contributes $4.1 billion to the state economy each year.
What's being done about invasive species?
Quarantines are standard procedure when invasive species are first detected. Depending on how prolific or dangerous the plants or creatures are, it can be effective or seem like window dressing.
🗣️ Should we be actively working to kill invasive species?
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To keep our precious planet in top shape, we must engage in such local efforts. It's all the more important with plant and animal life in the middle of a sixth extinction, with humans producing pollution at 200 times the levels of the five previous mass death events.
In addition to working with or supporting conservationists in your community, you can spread the word to family and friends, which is an underrated way of doing your part. Other actions include switching to an electric vehicle and reducingyourconsumption of goods that contribute to the heat-trapping pollution in our atmosphere.
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