In Ortahisar, the largest district of the Eastern Black Sea region, a campaign has been launched to combat the brown marmorated stink bug.

In the Black Sea Region, efforts have started to combat the brown marmorated stink bug, which causes significant damage to agricultural products, primarily hazelnuts, in the Ortahisar district of Trabzon.

With Trabzon becoming a metropolitan municipality in previous years, Ortahisar district has emerged as the largest district in the Eastern Black Sea Region. A mobilization has been initiated to combat the brown marmorated stink bug. The Agricultural Services Directorate of Ortahisar Municipality used 1,500 liters of pesticide to spray in 500 houses, 200 barns, and coal sheds located in the Kavala neighborhood of the district.

Providing information on the subject, the Mayor of Ortahisar, Ahmet Kaya, stated that they will work in 87 neighborhoods to effectively combat the brown marmorated stink bug, which causes significant losses in agricultural production and poses a serious threat as it spreads to a larger geographical area every year.

Ahmet Kaya said, “Serious efforts are being made in our region using biotechnical, chemical, mechanical, and biological methods to control the brown marmorated stink bug. As Ortahisar Municipality, we will carry out separate studies for winter and spring periods in coordination with the heads of our 87 neighborhoods to support this fight. The brown marmorated stink bug enters closed areas, including our homes, for hibernation during the autumn months. In homes, mechanical control, which involves collection and destruction as well as spraying, is important. Our citizens need to undertake this effort themselves. Here, we are providing awareness and pesticide support through our neighborhood heads. We will also implement the lure-kill technique by placing pheromone traps in our gardens.”

“Both chemical and biological work needs to be done”

Pointing out that they will combat the brown marmorated stink bug according to its spread areas, Mayor Kaya emphasized, “Both chemical and biological control need to be implemented. We are dealing with a type of insect that reproduces very quickly and spreads rapidly. Experts state that if the fight is not carried out with scientific methods, it is not very effective. We believe that by conducting studies in coordination with the Trabzon Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, the Ortahisar District Directorate of Agriculture, and our neighborhood heads, Ortahisar Municipality will make a significant contribution to effective combat. We will carry out our combat efforts based on the spread areas of the insect by contacting the heads of our 87 neighborhoods. Additionally, our Agricultural Services Directorate is conducting awareness-raising activities regarding the fight against the brown marmorated stink bug in our neighborhoods. As a result of all these efforts, we aim to minimize the damage caused by the stink bug.”

Teams affiliated with the Agricultural Services Directorate will continue their spraying efforts across the district to minimize losses in agricultural production.