In 2024, the Kentucky Keepers citizen science project focused on monitoring for invasive species has added two new pests for volunteers to work with, box tree moth and jumping worms. 

For box tree moth, volunteers in Boone, Kenton, and Campbell Counties have deployed over 20 traps. These counties were selected due to their proximity to the infestations known to occur in Ohio. Box tree moth is a pest that devastates boxwood shrubs, typically killing them. Boxwoods are the number one shrub grown and sold by Kentucky nursery owners and are common plants in the urban green ecosystem. These volunteers are invaluable in making sure the Office of the State Entomologist and the Depart of Entomology can alert growers and other Kentuckians on its arrival in the state. 

Jumping worms are a complex of worm species that out compete other earthworm species and rapidly degrade soil, altering the plant life that can survive in it. There have already been over a dozen reports from homeowners about these worms living in their lawns and landscapes. If they move into Kentucky’s forests, they could impact the $18.6 billion produced by the Kentucky forest industry annually by opening the soil up to invasive plant species and negatively impacting plants such as white oak. Our volunteers can help us track these pests in the state. 

As with other years, volunteers can help monitor for spotted lanternfly, tree of heaven, and spongy moth. For spongy moth in particular we have: 

324 participants

644 spongy moth traps set

54 out of 120 counties have participating citizen scientists

A total value of over $15,000 in free monitoring that contributes to the national Slow the Spread program.