Over 2,000ha of pine forests infested with caterpillars in Vietnam’s Ha Tinh
Thursday, August 17, 2023, 10:24 GMT+7
The rapid infestation of caterpillars has damaged more than 2,000 hectares of pine forests in Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam, a forest protection official said on Tuesday.
The province has recently seen little rainfall but high temperatures, leading to an extremely high density of caterpillars invading the pine forests, according to Nguyen Phi Quynh, head of the Hong Linh protected forest management board.
In some badly-affected areas in the Hong Linh protected forest, each tree is infested with 300-400 caterpillars, compared to the province’s average density of around 10-15 caterpillars per tree.
High humidity and erratic weather were to blame for the rapid proliferation of caterpillars.
|
|
| An individual sprays pesticides to prevent infestation of caterpillars in Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam. Photo: L.M / Tuoi Tre |
With their rapid growth and high density, these caterpillars will chew on pine leaves and thereby affect tree growth, leaving pine trees dead amid a long-lasting heatwave.
To prevent caterpillars from proliferating and spreading further to other forest areas, the forest management board has worked with forest rangers to mobilize personnel and equipment to spray pesticides over affected areas.
Quynh added that the forest management board reported the infestation of caterpillars to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for further support.
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
