In recent years, there has been an increase in cases of chestnuts being affected by a dangerous pest - the leaf miner. The larvae feed inside the leaves, causing significant damage to the trees and affecting their overall health.

To prevent adverse effects, specialists from the Municipal Enterprise «Miskzelentrest» have been vaccinating chestnuts with a special solution annually since 2017.

The vaccination process involves injecting a substance into the vascular tissue of the tree, allowing the medicine to circulate within the leaves. This renders them inedible for the leaf miner, ultimately leading to the death of the larvae.

The mixture of insecticides and fungicides used in these injections is not tolerated by the leaf miner, making this method effective for both prevention and treatment of infested trees.

According to the representatives of «Miskzelentrest», this method of pest control is allowed in urban areas as it is completely safe for the environment and the trees.

This year, there are plans to vaccinate 995 chestnuts.

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The leaf miner is a major pest of the horse chestnut, causing serious damage to urban tree plantings. The larvae consume the sap and tissues of the leaves, leading to their wilting and potentially the death of the tree. Throughout the growing season, the moths can produce up to three generations.
In addition to the damage caused, the leaf miner is a vector for viral infections, contributing to the spread of other diseases among trees.
Research has shown that injection methods are currently the most effective way to combat the leaf miner and other insects and diseases that affect trees.