Alicante kicks off pest control campaign with the release of 'beneficial insects'

Alicante kicks off pest control campaign with the release of 'beneficial insects'

CREDIT: Ayto de Alicante

Alicante kicks off pest control campaign with the release of ‘beneficial insects’.
THE city council has begun its pest control campaign in parks and green spaces with the release of ‘beneficial insects’ for the flora, which are capable of controlling other insects which damage it.
In Alicante, the most common pests are the Psylla, the Aphid, and the Red Spider.
Councillor for the Environment, Manuel Villar, said this type of treatment “is not only beneficial for the trees, shrubs and flowers of our parks and gardens, but more respectful of the environment since it reduces the use of chemical products by 30 per cent”.
The release of insects by the concessionaire company for the maintenance of green areas, STV Gestión, has already begun and will last until June.
After a first action, a visit and control work will be carried out to check the evolution of the pest and determine if a second release is necessary.
This system “does not seek to exterminate harmful species, but the objective is to achieve a balance between beneficial and harmful insects to maintain green areas while taking care of the environment and, of course, keeping pests at bay”, added Villar.
The councilor explained that the use of beneficial insects is always easier in the trees of parks than in the streets, “since in the latter case they are affected by the contamination of vehicles or the effects of the pavement, while in parks and gardens the conditions are more similar to the natural state and the action of beneficial insects is a lot easier”.
Other species that are successfully treated through biological pest control are: Cercis siliquastrum; Tipuana tipu; Ficus sp; Populus; Prunus amigdalus; Prunus cerasifera; Laurus nobilis; Albizia julibrissin; Melia azedarach; Citrus; Robinia; Tamarix sp; Querqus; Punic granatum and shrub species in parks.
Birds have been used as a natural weapon against mosquitoes and processionary caterpillars on the Costa Blanca by getting more of them to make their home in the Bigastro area.

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Tara Rippin

Tara Rippin is a reporter for Spain’s largest English-speaking newspaper, Euro Weekly News, and is responsible for the Costa Blanca region.
She has been in journalism for more than 20 years, having worked for local newspapers in the Midlands, UK, before relocating to Spain in 1990.
Since arriving, the mother-of-one has made her home on the Costa Blanca, while spending 18 months at the EWN head office in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol.
She loves being part of a community that has a wonderful expat and Spanish mix, and strives to bring the latest and most relevant news to EWN’s loyal and valued readers.

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