With the release of predator insects into the forest area, one of the important stages of the integrated struggle against pine insects carried out under the scientific consultancy of the Near East University Faculty of Agriculture, has been implemented.

The fight against pine insects, which cause great damage to pine trees and forest areas with their increasing densities, continues. Many institutions such as Lapta-Alsancak-Çamlıbel Municipality and Taşkent Nature Park support the integrated struggle carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources Forestry Directorate under the scientific consultancy of the Near East University Faculty of Agriculture.

Another important step was taken this week in the fight against pine insects, one of the forest pests. Predator insects, which are the natural enemies of pine insects, obtained from the General Directorate of Forestry of Turkey, were released into forest areas in Lapta and Çatalköy-Karaağaç regions. It is known that predatory beetles, which feed on 2-3 pine processionary beetles every day and kill and leave 4-5 additional insects, also feed on pine insect pupae.

Predatory insects brought from the General Directorate of Forestry of Turkey were left in the forest area in Lapta, and the operation was observed by Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dursun Oğuz, Lapta-Alsancak-Çamlıbel Mayor Fırat Ataser, Head of the Republic of Turkey Department of Combating Forest Pests Şaban Bıyıklı, Director of the Forestry Department Salih Güneş, Near East University Founding Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture Prof. Dr. Özge Özden, and Kemal Basat, Director of Taşkent Nature Park.

Near East University Faculty of Agriculture Deputy Dean and Cyprus Herbarium and Natural History Museum Director Prof. Dr. Salih Gücel also attended the operation with visiting graduate students from the Netherlands.

Dursun Oğuz: “We will use the biological drug struggle as a last solution. Damaged pine trees will turn green again in June.”
Dursun Oğuz, Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, who followed the release of predator insects to the forested areas in Lapta, emphasized that the fight against pine insects is a long-term struggle, and said that they are carrying out a scientific-based struggle with the support of Near East University Faculty of Agriculture and Taşkent Nature Park. Minister Oğuz, who said that the pine insect population peaked in 2023, also responded to the criticisms regarding the lack of aerial spraying. Reminding that they applied the aerial spraying method in the previous period when he was the minister responsible for the forest, Oğuz said that in the observations made, they found that the pine insect population multiplied in the areas where spraying was done for 5 years.

Dursun Oğuz, Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said that they aim to re-establish the balance in nature with the integrated fight against pine insects. Dursun said, “For this reason, we will use the biological drug struggle as a last resort, we will not do it directly from the air as some expect, it is clear and unequivocal.”

Stating that there is a misconception that pine insects completely dry the trees, Oguz said that the pine trees that have been seriously damaged by the pine insect have reached the stage of budding in this period, and that the trees will regain their green texture in June.

The fight against the pine insects aims to establish the natural balance in the forests.
Lapta-Alsancak-Çamlıbel Mayor Fırat Ataser stated that they prefer to use methods that do not disturb the natural balance in forests in the fight against pine insects. Noting that pine insects are a problem every year, Ataser said that they hope to eliminate pine insects in places where the integrated struggle is initiated.

The Director of Forestry Department, Salih Güneş, emphasized that the fight they started against the pine insects is a comprehensive and long-term one, and stated that they are in contact with other municipalities for cooperation.

Şaban Bıyıklı, Head of the Department of Combating Forest Pests of the Republic of Turkey, emphasized that the formation of a healthy forest is possible by preserving the internal balance of the forests and stated that developed countries do this as well. Noting that they do not use the chemical unless it is very necessary and only outside of small areas, Bıyıklı said that studies should be conducted to help nature repair itself.

Protecting the natural balance is possible with scientific struggle!
Emphasizing that the way to protect the natural balance while fighting pine insects is through scientific struggle, Near East University Founding Dean Prof. Dr. Özge Özden, on the other hand, emphasized that the release of predatory insects is only a part of the Integrated Control Program and stated that the program they implemented is a very comprehensive control method.