Locusts that got to Odesa region were destroyed

The locusts found in Odesa region have now been destroyed, but the region remains in the field of view of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

This was reported during a coordination meeting of specialists from the territorial bodies of the service.

As for other regions where an increase in the number of locusts was observed, a special protection regime was introduced in Zaporizhzhia region on the territory of the Kushuhum village council and in the city of Zaporizhzhia. Measures are underway to localize and eliminate the insects. In the Kherson region, after the effective destruction of locusts, the lifting of restrictions is being considered. In Dnipropetrovska oblast, the number of locusts is within the economic threshold of harmfulness.

According to the service, no significant increase in the locust population has been recorded in other regions.

Meanwhile, vacationers report large numbers of locusts on the region's beaches. Also, in early July, the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection reported the movement of locusts in the Bolhrad district of Odesa region. In particular, the insects were spotted in fields where rapeseed, barley, and wheat had been harvested.

In Odesa region, the locust invasion is associated with active migration from the southern regions of Moldova. Meanwhile, Kyiv residents have begun reporting locusts in the city. The pest has allegedly already been spotted in Troyeschyna and Obolon.

The locust invasion in Ukraine was first recorded on July 15-20 in the Kushuhum territorial community in Zaporizhzhia. In the first days, the pest covered about 2,991.6 hectares in the region. Later, locusts were recorded in Dnipropetrovs'k, Kherson and Odesa regions. There were also reports from residents of Vinnytsia region about swarms.

Unlike ladybugs, which were observed in Odesa in June, locusts are a pest, as they eat almost all green crops and cause the most damage to cereals such as corn, wheat, and millet. Swarms can travel up to 300 kilometers a day at an altitude of 600 meters. A thousand individuals per square meter can destroy up to 30 kilograms of vegetation.

Кирило Бойко