CONCERNS have been raised over thousands of invasive caterpillars which are threatening native ash trees in the Twinbrook area of West Belfast.
The ash sawfly larvae can leave the trees completely bare of leaves and can impact their long-term growth.
The ash sawfly larvae
The Andersonstown News found dozens of trees in the Broom and Mulberry areas of Twinbrook affected by thousands of the lime-green insects on Thursday morning.
Local residents shared their concerns about the infestation in the area.
Gerard McLaughlin from Mulberry Park said one tree had been left completely bare in just one day following an infestation of the ash sawfly larvae," he said. "I noticed hundreds of the caterpillar-looking insects at a tree opposite my house and shared some photos on Facebook," he explained.
"After doing some research myself, I discovered it was ash sawfly larvae.
Gerard McLaughlin
"I love the trees and green grass areas in Twinbrook. If this is going to damage the trees, then something needs to be done about it. One tree opposite my house was left completely bare of leaves in just a day. I have lived here for 30 years and never seen anything like this."
Angela McManus from around the corner in Broom Close said she was concerned about the ash sawfly larvae damaging her flowerpot display.
"There was some ash sawfly larvae that got into my living room. They seem to be blowing off the trees," she added. "I have a nice flower display in my front garden and I hope the ash sawfly larvae is not going to damage it."
Trees are affected on one side of the street
A Belfast City Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of a number of sites across Belfast which have experienced ash sawfly activity this year and in previous years. At present, the Council does not operate a targeted treatment programme for ash sawfly and is not actively treating infestations.
"However, we continue to monitor the issue and follow experts’ advice as part of our broader tree management responsibilities.”
We have also contacted the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and is awaiting a response.
