Authorities in Samsun, northern Türkiye, are intensifying winter shelter control efforts against the brown marmorated stink bug, a highly destructive pest that threatens crops including hazelnuts, apples, pears, kiwifruit, peaches, walnuts, persimmons, corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, figs, rice, and soybeans.
The campaign focuses on the Çarşamba district, where agricultural officials are targeting sites the pest uses to overwinter. When temperatures drop below 15–16°C (59–60°F), the bugs seek enclosed spaces such as houses, barns, haylofts, warehouses, and roof cavities. Authorities are systematically inspecting these winter shelters to prevent population growth and crop damage in the upcoming season.
Kemal Yılmaz, Samsun provincial director of Agriculture and Forestry, emphasized that mechanical collection and destruction remain the primary control method. In locations where bugs cluster densely or mechanical methods are impractical, only Ministry-approved biocidal products are used by trained professionals, with plant protection chemicals strictly prohibited.
Winter shelter control operations have already been conducted in 4,569 structures in the district, including the Karaağaç neighborhood, under supervision of specialized technical teams. The campaign is part of a broader strategy combining field monitoring, public awareness, and technical oversight to limit the pest's spread and minimize potential crop losses. Authorities say efforts will continue in a coordinated manner throughout Çarşamba and surrounding areas.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
