Korea Forest Service "Prolonged Damage from Forest Pests... Urges Thorough Monitoring and Control"

The Korea Forest Service has urged related organizations to pay attention to monitoring and controlling forest pests and diseases, considering that the damage caused by forest pests is lasting longer than usual.

Workers are pruning diseased tree branches to control forest pests and diseases. Photo by Korea Forest Service

According to the Korea Forest Service on the 26th, this year, due to the impact of climate change, damage caused by forest pests such as the American white moth tends to persist longer than the usual level.

In this regard, the National Institute of Forest Science raised the alert level for the occurrence forecast of the American white moth, which damages street trees and ornamental trees in urban areas, from 'interest' to 'caution' last August.

The American white moth mainly causes damage during the summer when its larvae feed on the leaves of broadleaf trees.

However, last month, the national average temperature recorded 22.6 degrees Celsius, which is 2.1 degrees higher than the average, resulting in localized ongoing damage.

In this context, the Korea Forest Service emphasizes the importance of physical control measures to reduce future damage, such as collecting pupae that overwinter under bark or fallen leaves during the overwintering period of the American white moth (October to April of the following year).

It also stressed that to prevent pests and diseases occurring in residential areas, control using pesticides should be carried out based on accurate diagnosis and prescription from tree hospitals and other tree medical institutions.

Kim Myung-gwan, head of the Forest Pest Control Division at the Korea Forest Service, said, “Due to the impact of climate change, the possibility of domestic establishment and spread of invasive pests such as the tentatively named Norangallakhaneulso is increasing,” adding, “Local governments and affiliated organizations should share damage occurrence situations through monitoring and carry out timely control measures suitable for the conditions of the affected sites.”