FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION 

DA-2023-06 

May 30, 2023 

Subject: APHIS Establishes a Quarantine for Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) in 

Michigan 

To: State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials 

Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural 

Development (MDARD), is establishing a quarantine for the box tree moth (BTM) in all of 

Lenawee and Washtenaw Counties and parts of Jackson and Monroe Counties, Michigan. 

BTM is a destructive pest of boxwood (Buxus species). APHIS is taking this action in response to 

confirmed detections of BTM larvae in Lenawee County, Michigan. BTM was first detected in 

Michigan on November 2, 2022. Since the detection in late fall 2022, APHIS has worked with 

MDARD to restrict host movement, delimit the infestation, engage stakeholders, and conduct 

outreach. APHIS, MDARD, industry, and research partners are working closely to develop useful 

pest control tools. 

APHIS is prohibiting the interstate movement of regulated articles of Buxus spp. from the entire 

Counties of Lenawee and Washtenaw, the County of Monroe west of US-23 and north of River 

Raisin, and the County of Jackson south of I-94 and east of US-127. 

 

Regulated articles include the whole plant, all plant parts, pieces, cuttings, clippings, debris, and 

any portion of the plant, alive or dead. APHIS is taking this action to prevent the spread of BTM 

to the rest of the United States. These measures parallel the intrastate quarantine that MDARD

established on April 10, 2023. 

The attached Federal Order outlines the safeguarding measures required for protecting the industry 

from this pest. The Federal Order and additional information about BTM may be found at: 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pestsand-diseases/box-tree-moth

For additional information, please contact the National Policy Manager, Allen Proxmire, at 480-

392-8754 or allen.proxmire@usda.gov. 

Dr. Mark L Davidson 

Deputy Administrator 

Plant Protection and Quarantine 

Attachment: Federal Order DA-2023-06 
FEDERAL ORDER

Domestic Quarantine for Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) 

DA-2023-06 

May 30, 2023 

Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS), in cooperation the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development 

(MDARD), is establishing a quarantine for the box tree moth (BTM) in all of Lenawee and 

Washtenaw Counties, as well as parts of Monroe County west of US-23 and north of River Raisin, 

and Jackson County south of I-94 and east of US-127, in Michigan. This action is in response to 

the detection of a BTM population in Lenawee County, Michigan. This Federal Order prohibits 

the movement of regulated articles of boxwood (Buxus species) from Lenawee and Washtenaw 

Counties and parts of Monroe and Jackson Counties, to prevent the spread of BTM to other parts 

of the United States. These measures parallel the intrastate quarantine that MDARD established on 

April 10, 2023. 

This Federal Order is issued in accordance with the regulatory authority provided by Section 

412(a) of the Plant Protection Act of June 20, 2000, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 7712(a). The Act 

authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to prohibit or restrict the movement in interstate commerce 

of any plant, plant part, plant product, or article if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or 

restriction is necessary to prevent the dissemination of a plant pest within the United States. The 

regulatory authority provided by 7 U.S.C. 7754 allows the Secretary to issue orders to carry out 

this provision of the Plant Protection Act. 

To prevent the spread of BTM, APHIS considers it necessary to implement the quarantine and 

regulate the interstate movement of regulated articles of Buxus spp. from all of Lenawee and 

Washtenaw Counties and the parts of Monroe and Jackson Counties, Michigan noted above. 

Therefore, effective immediately, APHIS prohibits the interstate movement of regulated articles of 

Buxus spp. from the quarantine area. Regulated articles include the whole plant, all plant parts, 

pieces, cuttings, clippings, debris, and any portion of the plant, alive or dead. 

The Administrator may designate a whole state or an area less than an entire state if the 

Administrator determines, as in this case, that the designation of less than an entire state is 

adequate to prevent the interstate spread of BTM. In addition, less than an entire state may be 

quarantined if the Administrator determines that the affected state enforces equivalent restrictions 

and regulations for intrastate movement to effectively mitigate the spread of the pest. MDARD has 

established an equivalent quarantine and restrictions for intrastate movement of Buxus spp. in 

Michigan. 

This Federal Order and information about BTM may be found at: 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pestsand-diseases/box-tree-moth
For more information about the BTM response program, please contact the National Policy 

Manager, Allen Proxmire, at 301-851-2307 or allen.proxmire@usda.gov. 

A. Quarantine Areas 

The quarantine area includes all of Lenawee and Washtenaw Counties, as well as parts of Monroe 

County west of US-23 and north of River Raisin, and Jackson County south of I-94 and east of 

US-127, in Michigan. 

B. Regulated Articles 

Regulated articles include all species, varieties, and hybrids of Buxus spp., commonly called 

boxwood or box tree. Regulated articles include the whole plant, all plant parts, pieces, cuttings, 

clippings, debris, and any portion of the plant, alive or dead. 

Regulated articles are prohibited from leaving the quarantine area. 

C. Compliance Agreements 

Any entity within the quarantine area that wants to commercially grow and/or sell Buxus spp. must 

enter and abide by a compliance agreement. The compliance agreement shall include but not be 

limited to the following restrictions: 

The compliance agreement holder must: 

• Apply pest management practices and other safeguards. 

• Allow inspectors to survey and inspect regulated articles and other plants as necessary. 

• Actively ensure Buxus spp. sold from their facility does not leave the quarantine area. 

• Attach to each Buxus spp. plant for sale (or its container) a tag, sticker, or other labelling 

with language comparable to the following: 

o Buxus spp. - Regulated Article – Quarantine Material

o By the State’s Regulatory Authority and USDA APHIS PPQ 

o This plant may not leave the Box Tree Moth Quarantine area 

o For more information visit the State and/or APHIS website (and provide link) 

Definitions 

Administrator: The Administrator of APHIS, or any person authorized to act for the 

Administrator. 

Compliance Agreement: A written agreement between APHIS and/or State authorities with an 

authorized person engaged in the business of growing, handling, or moving of regulated articles in 

which the authorized person agrees to comply with specific requirements. 

Interstate: From any State into or through any other State. 

Inspector: Any employee of APHIS, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or other person 

authorized by the Administrator to perform the duties required under this Order. 
Quarantine area: Any State, or any portion of a State, listed in this Federal Order.