Study reveals flight capabilities of invasive box tree moth, explaining rapid global spread
A new study using computer-monitored flight mills measured the flight performance of the invasive box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis), finding adults can fly an average of 18 km over their lifespan, with some females reaching up to 150 km. The species has invaded roughly 40 countries in under 20 years, spreading from urban ornamental plantings to forest stands where it causes serious damage to boxwood trees. The findings suggest the moth's own dispersal abilities have played a meaningful role in its rapid local expansion, complementing the long-distance spread driven by the ornamental plant trade.
Researchers used computer-monitored flight mills to quantify the natural dispersal potential of the box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis), an invasive species that has colonized approximately 40 countries across multiple continents in less than two decades. Under controlled laboratory conditions, adults flew an average of 18 km over their lifespans, though distances were highly variable; several females achieved long-distance flights of up to 150 km. Flight performance was influenced by sex, age, body mass, and generation, with mated females flying farther than virgin ones, though extensive dispersal appeared to reduce fecundity. The overwintering generation showed the strongest flight capabilities, averaging around 22 km, while the late-summer generation averaged only 10 km. The study concludes that while human-mediated transport via the ornamental plant trade has driven the moth's intercontinental spread, its intrinsic flight capacity likely accounts for much of its rapid local and regional expansion — a factor that had been largely overlooked in previous invasion assessments.
What's missing
The study was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions using flight mills, which may not fully replicate free-flight behavior in natural environments; field-based dispersal data would be needed to validate these estimates. It is also unclear how factors such as wind assistance, landscape structure, and host plant availability would modify real-world dispersal distances. The study does not address whether current pest management or biosecurity strategies account for this level of natural dispersal capacity.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
Flight performance of the highly invasive box tree moth Cydalima perspectalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
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