Cannons and sprayers: Malaga prepares pine trees against processionary plague

Malaga city council has started to treat pine trees with biocides, according to environmental regulations, to prevent the processionary caterpillar plague.

The pine processionary is a danger to people and pets because of its highly venomous characteristics. It lives on trees for several months, where it feeds. The caterpillars then descend in procession to the ground in spring. Their venom is dangerous for babies and small children and deadly for dogs and other animals. Each individual has half a million poisonous hairs. When released, they increase their inflammatory power on contact and even through the air.

The work, which is carried out by crews equipped with cannons and long-range sprayers loaded with phytosanitary products, has already taken place in the forest parks of Gibralfaro, Hacienda Clavero, Monte Victoria, Virreinas, La Pelusa and Cerrado de Calderón. In addition, work is planned in the forest area near La Caja Blanca and Torre Atalaya; in the Comandante Benítez and El Polvorín parks; in the municipal forest areas of La Cónsula and El Retiro, as well as in Monte Calvario-Seminario, San Antón, Lagarillo Blanco, La Concepción and Correcciones Hidrológicas de la Margen Oeste del río Guadalmedina; Las Palmeras, Galeno and La Concepción botanical garden; the Ciudad de Málaga forest park and the area around Centro de Protección Animal Municipal; and in other smaller areas. In areas where there is a greater influx of people, treatment is carried out at night.

The task, which forms part of the maintenance work awarded to Perica Obras y Servicios, will also be extended to all the municipal maintenance areas in El Atabal, where the Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis), a species that is most affected by this pest, predominates.

The programme also includes preventive intervention in schools and in pine trees located in areas near nursing homes, children's playgrounds, nurseries and health centres. Once this treatment has been completed, fortnightly check-ups will be carried out to monitor the effectiveness of these preventive campaigns. Additional spraying will be carried out if necessary.

As in previous years, the work consists of spraying the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Kurstaki on pine needles at a dose of 32%, which is the dose set by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. This bacterium acts by ingestion, interfering with the feeding of the larvae of the processionary pine, which ultimately causes their death. The spraying includes an ecological plant fortifier (Energy 95) composed of free amino acids, organic matter, organic nitrogen that acts as a biostimulant and pH regulator that help to increase the vitality of the trees. This treatment has no harmful effects on other invertebrates or vertebrates. Endotherapy (injection of the product and nutritional substance directly into the vascular system of the plant) has been used on pine trees that are difficult to access or located in the city.

These tasks are carried out exclusively by qualified personnel. Likewise, the equipment used incorporates all the technical specifications necessary for such functions.