The Beijing Mystery of a Moth, a Wasp, and a Strange Thing Nailed To a Tree Apr 5, 2021 2:30 pm | 1 comment | 72 reads
Earlier this week, after spotting numerous beige, oval-shaped objects affixed to Beijing s willow trees, Antoine Mansuy of Yizhuang s green-conscious restaurant The Roots turned to the collective knowledge of his WeChat friends to find out why. Not only did someone know but we considered the answer interesting enough to retell here. Enter the little-known Beijing ecological tidbit involving a moth, a wasp, and a strange object nailed to trees.
It all begins with the American White Moth. An invasive species native to North America, the moth was first identified in the city of Dandong, Liaoning province in 1979 and is believed to have hopped the border from North Korea. From there it quickly spread across China s northeast, reaching as far west as Shaanxi and as far south as Anhui.