Foreign wasps kill trees in manila
MANILA, Thursday (AFP) - A small foreign wasp has been blamed for
killing trees lining roads of the Philippine capital, prompting traffic
warnings on Wednesday about falling branches.
Manila motorists were warned of the danger of falling branches from
trees lining six major avenues, said Corazon Davis, the government's
regional environment chief.
Sixty-eight tiger's claw trees, known for their red flowers, have
been cut down as a precaution while government workers were pruning
infected branches from others to prevent them falling and potentially
injuring motorists or damaging their vehicles, Davis said.
The wasps measuring about 1-1.5 centimeters (0.39-0.59 inches) lay
eggs in young leaves and stems causing stress in the trees and eventual
death.
Davis said similar infestations had been recorded in Laguna and
Quezon provinces, both near Manila.
The exact origin of the Erythrina Gall Wasps and how they entered the
Philippines is unknown. But the insects reportedly infected trees in
Taiwan, Singapore, India, Hong Kong, China and Hawaii earlier this year,
said Elpidio Rimando, pathologist at the environment department's
ecosystem research and development bureau. |