Thien Tan: Caterpillars cause concern in eucalyptus trees.

- In Thien Tan commune, this year marks the first time that the phenomenon of caterpillars damaging eucalyptus forests has been recorded, concentrated in Mo Vau village with an infected area of ​​about 10 hectares. Following timely reports from the people, the specialized agency quickly inspected, verified, and guided preventive measures.

Forest rangers and local people inspect the eucalyptus forest.

Mr. Chu Van Thuan, from Mo Vau village, the first person to discover the caterpillars damaging eucalyptus trees, said: "My family owns about 1.5 hectares of forest. At the end of October 2025, I went to check on the eucalyptus trees and heard a rustling sound like light rain. Looking up at the canopy, I saw that the leaves were being eaten away, and the ground around the base of the trees was covered with caterpillar droppings. Finding this strange, I immediately reported it to the village head."

Not only Mr. Thuan's household, but neighboring eucalyptus forests are also experiencing similar problems. Mr. Tran Van Thuong, Party Secretary and Head of Mo Vau village, said: The village has 84 households and 390 inhabitants. The people here mainly develop the forest economy , planting eucalyptus and acacia trees. On average, 1 hectare of eucalyptus has a 5-year planting cycle and a value of over 200 million VND. Until now, the eucalyptus forests in the village have mainly been affected by fungi and leaf blight, but this type of caterpillar has never appeared before. Upon receiving reports from the people, I reported it to the commune government and relevant departments for inspection and remedial measures.

In response to this situation, the Department of Agriculture and Environment conducted an on-site inspection in Mo Vau village, Thien Tan commune. The inspection revealed the presence of leaf-eating caterpillars damaging eucalyptus trees in the commune, with an average density of 10-20 caterpillars per tree, and localized densities of 50-100 caterpillars per tree, aged 3-4, affecting approximately 10 hectares. This is a leaf-eating caterpillar species that damages many types of crops (acacia, eucalyptus, etc.), and its color is similar to that of the eucalyptus tree trunk, making it difficult to detect without careful inspection. The affected eucalyptus canopy shows signs of drying out, directly impacting growth.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment also issued Official Letter No. 5094 dated November 12, 2025, regarding the focused direction of controlling leaf-eating caterpillars that damage eucalyptus trees in the province. This letter directs subordinate units to strengthen investigation, detection, and monitoring of caterpillar infestations on eucalyptus and acacia trees, and to guide and coordinate with local authorities in implementing effective control measures. Simultaneously, it requests the People's Committee of Thien Tan commune to assign staff to coordinate with specialized agencies and residents to monitor the infestation of caterpillars on eucalyptus and acacia trees and guide residents in timely control measures.

Mr. Dang Minh Tuan, a forest ranger in charge of Thien Tan commune, said: "This is the first time we have recorded caterpillars damaging eucalyptus trees in Thien Tan commune. Through monitoring, we observed that the caterpillars emerged in mid-October, coinciding with a period of warm and humid weather. Now, with the weather turning colder, some of the caterpillars have entered a hibernation phase. However, if the undergrowth is not cleared, the caterpillars will hatch and continue to cause damage in early spring when the temperature rises."

According to recommendations from specialized agencies, to control eucalyptus caterpillars, people need to regularly inspect the forests, clear undergrowth, and collect all vegetation around infected areas to eliminate the caterpillars' wintering grounds. For areas of planted forests 4-5 years old, people can harvest and clear the undergrowth. To date, people have harvested areas ready for harvesting and cleared undergrowth in the infested areas, and continue to monitor closely.

According to forecasts from specialized agencies, the warming weather in the coming period will create favorable conditions for caterpillars to develop and cause damage. Therefore, the People's Committee of the commune and specialized agencies will continue to closely monitor the situation to take timely control measures and minimize damage to the people.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/thien-tan-phong-tru-sau-hai-bach-dan-5066924.html