Protecting Chestnuts in Odessa: New Approaches Against Pests
In recent years, there have been increasing reports of chestnuts in Odessa being affected by the pest known as the chestnut moth. This issue is not limited to our city but is observed across various European cities.
Since 2017, specialists from the Municipal Enterprise 'Green Trust' have been vaccinating chestnuts annually to mitigate the adverse effects of this pest.
The vaccination involves making a small hole in the tree's vascular tissue, allowing the medication to spread into the leaves, rendering them inedible for the chestnut moth. This method effectively kills the larvae. It is a safe approach for both the environment and the trees, making it suitable for urban areas.
In 2025, a total of 1000 trees were vaccinated.
Additional Information
The chestnut moth is a significant threat to chestnut trees. The larvae live and feed within the leaves, leading to the destruction of the foliage and causing severe harm to urban chestnut plantations. In Europe, the damages caused by this pest are estimated to be hundreds of millions of euros annually, raising concerns about the viability of cultivating horse chestnuts in cities. The damage inflicted by the larvae prevents the trees from accumulating sufficient nutrients, which can lead to winter kill.
