Apple orchards in Volyn have turned into a winter forest in the middle of summer. Previously, in the orchard of the village of Maiaky, 5,000 tonnes of apples were harvested and sold even to Russia and Belarus. This year, there is an invasion of caterpillars here. They have eaten all the leaves and quickly moved on to the villagers' households.
The caterpillar invasion in Volyn has destroyed fruit tree plantations. There are several species of caterpillars here. Within a month to a month and a half, they devour entire orchards. On many trees, there is not a single leaf. The perennial orchard plantings were not treated with chemicals. The caterpillars are also taking over yards. In some homes, they are everywhere - on doors, windows, walls and fences. People are afraid to walk barefoot. Sixty-year-old Anton Kurban says he does not remember such a caterpillar invasion. The Volyn pensioner, like most of his fellow villagers, initially did not intend to fight the pests. But having wasted time, the villagers now have neither money nor means to treat their homesteads and are fighting with folk methods.
The caterpillars also pose a threat to people's health. Contact with the human body can cause severe allergic reactions. The village council is unable to save the plantings - there is no money for this in the local budget.
Scientists say that such an anomaly occurs once every few years. Unstable climatic conditions and temperature fluctuations contribute to the reproduction of the pests. And the problem could have been solved within a week - simply by treating the trees on time - experts are convinced.