Samurai wasps prove effective in combating stink bugs in northeastern Turkey

In the lush province of Ordu, northeastern Turkey, a new approach to pest control has shown promising results. The local agriculture and forestry authority has successfully deployed samurai wasps to combat the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, a pest known for its detrimental impact on crops.

Kemal Yılmaz, the Director of Agriculture and Forestry in Ordu, shared with reporters that the region has released approximately 22,000 samurai wasps into the environment as part of their pest control strategy. 

"We have observed these samurai wasps parasitizing the eggs of the brown marmorated stink bug," Yılmaz stated, as quoted by Anadolu Agency (AA). "Our teams are continuously monitoring the areas where the wasps were released, and we are seeing significant advantages in our fight against the stink bug."

The samurai wasp, scientifically known as Trissolcus japonicus, is a natural predator of the stink bug. It lays its eggs inside the stink bug's eggs, effectively neutralizing the threat they pose to crops. This method of biological control is not only environmentally friendly but also supports the maintenance of ecological balance.

Warning to farmers

Yılmaz emphasized the ongoing efforts to sustain the population of samurai wasps, mentioning collaborations with the Black Sea Agricultural Research Institute and the Hazelnut Research Institute. "The production of samurai wasps is continuous, and we will keep releasing them into nature to bolster our biological control measures," he explained.

Addressing hazelnut farmers, a significant demographic in Ordu, Yılmaz urged them to continue their vigilance and individual pest control efforts. "Even with the presence of samurai wasps, farmers should not abandon their own methods. They must regularly inspect their orchards and, if necessary, carry out chemical treatments," he advised.

This initiative in Ordu is part of a broader trend of using biological control agents to manage agricultural pests. Similar programs have been implemented in the United States and other countries, where the samurai wasp has been introduced to control the spread of the brown marmorated stink bug. (VK)