In Irkutsk, the campaign against the ermine moth continues. More than 242 thousand trees will be treated, including over 8 thousand in kindergartens and schools. Work is done in stages and safely, at night, in calm dry weather, and in schools only when children are absent. Specialists say the measures have already reduced damage to green spaces, though the pest cannot be fully eliminated.

In total, during the campaign to combat the ermine moth, more than 242 thousand trees will be treated in the city, of which just over 8 thousand are on the grounds of kindergartens and schools. There, a one-time treatment with the biological preparation “Fitoverm” is being carried out. The contractor has used 82 liters of the concentrate of the preparation.
The amount of the municipal contract is 5 million 266 thousand rubles. Recall that the first stage of treatment took place from May 11 to 16 using 390 liters of the concentrated chemical preparation “Aktellik.” The second stage took place from May 25 to June 2. Then 3,900 liters of the biological preparation “Lepidocid” were sprayed. Spraying of trees and shrubs is carried out at night. In kindergartens and schools, it is done in the absence of children in the facilities. Conditions for carrying out the treatment also include calm weather, no rain, and for the biological preparation, air temperature above +14 degrees. All work is carried out in accordance with the recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor regarding the safety of using the preparations for the population and by the Rosselkhoztsentr in terms of the effectiveness of the treatment.
“This year the city administration has indeed reduced the damage to green spaces,” said Viktor Tsaritsinsky, deputy head of the Rosselkhoztsentr for the Irkutsk Region, assessing the city administration’s actions. “But it must be taken into account that a comprehensive approach is necessary. The treatment of urban plantings has now been carried out, but the private sector has not been covered, nor have departmental areas. Therefore, the pest may again spread to green spaces.”
In addition, specialists note that total treatment in the city is impossible due to sanitary and hygienic requirements, since human safety must be taken into account.
“Here we need to make the optimal choice between the effectiveness of tree treatment and the safety of the city’s population. Even the repeated and widespread use of a biological preparation can provoke allergic reactions, asthma, and other negative consequences for people’s health,” explained Vladimir Chubuk, head of the Department for Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety of the Irkutsk administration. “I believe that an optimal balance has now been found in this ratio. The task of reducing damage to the decorative appearance of plants is being carried out without harm to the health of city residents.”
There are currently no complaints about the quality or volume of work performed by the contractor, the Department for Environmental Protection notes. The fact that cases of moth spread are still being recorded in the city is quite natural, since the preparations approved for use by Rospotrebnadzor do not provide 100% eradication. However, independent experts from the Rosselkhoztsentr also note the effectiveness of the fight against the ermine moth this year.
The third stage of treatment is planned to be completed in the near future, depending on weather conditions.
Based on materials from the press service of the Irkutsk city administration