Fighting the skunk against the samurai bee

The brown skunk beetle, which threatens hazelnut orchards in Ordu, will be controlled using a biological control method. The Fatsa Chamber of Agriculture, the Fatsa Municipality and the Provincial and District Directorates of Agriculture and Forestry have launched a study against the brown skunk pest, which has become a major problem in the orchards of the Fatsa district, especially during the winter. hazelnut harvest period.

Within the framework of this project, samurai bees produced by the Black Sea Agricultural Research Institute will be used to combat the brown skunk beetle, which negatively affects hazelnut production.

The president of the Fatsa Chamber of Agriculture, Haydar Gürsu, stated that the brown skunk is an insect that damages not only hazelnuts but also other agricultural products in the region. Emphasizing that this year’s skunk population has increased by 300-400% compared to previous years, Gürsu said they observed how high the skunk numbers were, especially during the harvest period.

Gürsu stated that as the Fatsa Chamber of Agriculture, they started to work in cooperation with the Fatsa Municipality and the provincial and county directorates of agriculture and forestry and learned that samurai bees were produced at the Black Sea Agricultural Research Institute for combat this harmful insect.

Sharing his plans to use samurai bees to control the pest population, Gürsu said: “Under our leadership, traps were placed in some gardens where the institute concentrates skunks. Skunks from these traps are collected live each week and used for samurai bee production in the laboratory setting. For now, we can’t do anything more than a chemical intervention, but we will start a biological fight next May. Adult samurai bees will be released into the wild.” saying.

Gürsu also stressed that the skunk problem is not only observed in hazelnut farmers, but also in city centers, in apartments and houses, and that immediate intervention is necessary.

Stating that the brown skunk’s lifespan is 365 days and 80% of them die annually, “the remaining 20% ​​will constitute next year’s losses. A collective fight is needed to prevent these damages”. he added she.

Gürsu said that they will organize information meetings for farmers on the results of biological control, starting in May, and thus fight against the skunk problem.

Gürsu claimed that the hazelnut orchard had been severely damaged, noting that the hazelnuts were of poor quality and therefore difficult to sell the products.

Furthermore, Gürsu stated that traders avoid buying hazelnuts from this region due to damage caused by brown skunks, adding: “It is not possible to produce hazelnuts efficiently, except for products like hazelnut oil. The population is increasing rapidly in coastal areas. saying.

Ahmet Şanlı, who lives in the Meşebükü neighborhood of Fatsa district, said that the population of the brown skunk, which damages the hazelnut trees in his garden, has increased rapidly in recent years and has seriously affected hazelnut products. Şanlı stated that the hazelnuts were in such poor condition that they could not be harvested.

Ünzile Bahadır also stated that the brown skunk damages beans, peppers, brinjal and fruit products, as well as hazelnuts, and frequently enters their houses. Bahadır said that they are trying to combat the insect with their own means. (AA)