Seventy-one experts assigned to probe caterpillar infestation in Bali

Denpasar, Bali - Seventy-one plant pest experts have been assigned to probe and study the caterpillar infestation in Bali, an official said.

"We have assigned seventy-one specialists to investigate the problem in the field over the the last two days. Their task is to observe and study the caterpillar attack which hit Bali recently," Head of Agriculture and Food Crops Office of Bali Made Putra Suryawan said here Monday.

The result of the study on the caterpillar attack would be sent to the laboratory of Udayana University, Denpasar, to identify the species, the spread and reproduction mechanism, as well as the management of the infestation, Suryawan said.

The caterpillars seemed tp be different from those attacking some regions in Java, Suryawan said, adding that the difference would be apparent when the caterpillars metamorphosed into butterflies.

The difference could be spotted by identifying the eating pattern of the caterpillars, he said.

Those attacking Buleleng District, however, eat the parasite plants that grow on mango trees, while the trees themselves were not consumed by the caterpillars, he said.

The Agriculture and Food Crops Office also give 10 spraying device to each of district and municipalities in Bali.

"The sprayer could be used to exterminate the plant pests as well as the caterpillar which attacking the region," Suryawan said.

Some medicine and pesticides were also given by the authority to fight the infestation.

The authority have been conducting some treatment to fight the infestation such as by burning the caterpillars, spraying pesticides, and injecting chemical substance into the tree to make the tree leaves taste bad for the caterpillar and make them die after consuming the leaves.

The infestation might be caused by extreme weather that upset the habitat of the caterpillar or butterfly that they migrated to Bali, Suryaman said.

However, there is no fact showing the infestation as explosive plague in Bali, Suryaman said.

source : antaranews.com