Plans in place to fight caterpillar invasion

IN AN aim to avoid a repeat of last spring’s pine processionary caterpillar invasion, Mijas council has announced a fumigation scheme to be put into practice in the near future.

The contract, awarded to Serviplaga pest-control company, has a €17,121 budget and involves treating pine trees in busy areas where the caterpillars are likely to cause problems.

“We need to work against this plague, which can cause physical harm to people and pets, in an efficient, effective way. Therefore, the council is going to act and we ask communities with pine trees to do the same so this spring the insects don’t cause problems,” Parks and Gardens Councillor Lourdes Burgos explained.

Fumigations will be carried out between October 15 and November 15 and residential communities can contact the municipal department for advice on how to proceed, Burgos said.

In March, in an aim to fight a plague of the caterpillars which was causing alarm amongst the general public, workers from a municipal employment scheme put out about 300 nesting boxes to attract birds that feed on the pests.