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Cydalima moth destroys the Yew-and-Boxwood Tree Grove in Sochi, Russia

Community and Forum → Blog → Cydalima moth destroys the Yew-and-Boxwood Tree Grove in Sochi, Russia

Lev Bely, 08.09.2014 15:15

The unique Yew-and-Boxwood Tree Grove in Sochi, Russia, is having a bad time as nearly all local boxwood trees (Buxus colchica) were destroyed by Cydalima perspectalis larvae which feed on boxwood tree leaves. The moth was supposedly brought in amidst some Italian plants imported for landscape works to decorate the area of the 2014 Winter Sochi Olympics. They tried to liquidate pest once it was spotted but it hardly got any result.

Experts say now about 70% of boxwood trees are totally destroyed by the moth invasion. The thing is getting worse due to that C. perspectalis has overspread along the whole Black Sea coastline. Moreover, there are no natural enemies that could restrain pest population to some extent.

It's reported that a new insecticide is currently being developed. The nature reserve authorities sent a request to the Ministry of Nature asking for a permit to use special insecticides banned in other nature reserves in order to save the rest of boxwood trees.

Kavkazsky Uzel, http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru

Photo: C. perspectalis, Heiner Ziegler, http://www.euroleps.ch

All the rest posts on: Pests, danger zone, Russia, agriculture, ecology

Comments

08.09.2014 17:00, Peter Khramov

Welcome back, prodigal son.

08.09.2014 17:04, Vasiliy Feoktistov

Join. Haven't seen for long :)

08.09.2014 20:06, Lev Bely

"The only matter today is Cydalima!" (c) :)

08.09.2014 20:16, Vasiliy Feoktistov

Well, can't be Cydalima only :) Lots of moths and so with work: takes a lifetime :) Welcome back :)

08.09.2014 20:17, Lev Bely

Vasily, thanks! As well glad to be back:)

08.09.2014 23:35, Irina Nikulina

This is real disaster(... Back then this "hungry dog" lived in Asia then was brought in from China to Germany in 2006, so the whole thing started... Year ago there was some special convention with this on the agenda, turns out the invasion still hasn't been stopped...

09.09.2014 0:57, Vasiliy Feoktistov

Sorry for off-top, I'm still mainly Coleoptera man :)
Insects happen to change behaviour in new area.
Just an example. There was peaceful ordinary Leptinotarsa decimlineata Say. which fed on solanaceous and did no any harm. At the end of 19th century it spread over France and little by little all over and became famous dreadful potato pest. So far no effective measures found against this afaik.
There some other stories alike, can tell later, don't want to rely on my memory.

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