Spring is a busy time for forestry – planting, the beginning of the fire-hazardous period, and pest control. The forests of Left-Bank Ukraine are home to persistent pest outbreaks. The weather and climatic conditions of recent years have led to an increase in the density and area of one of the most dangerous pests of pine forests – the pine sawfly (Neodiprion sertifer Geoffr.).

Given the repeated damage to forests by the pine sawfly in previous years and to prevent the drying out of affected trees, especially young plantations, forest protection measures were necessary in the Poltava region.

Thanks to the responsible approach of Poltava Regional Forestry Department Head Yu.M. Taranenko and Chief Forest Protection Specialist Ya.O. Marchenko, protective measures were carried out despite the lack of funding.

From May 17 to June 2, 2016, specialists from Kharkivlisozakhyst carried out ground-based pest control measures on a total area of 5697 ha in the following forestry enterprises of the Poltava Regional Forestry Department:

• Poltava Forestry – 1410 ha
• N. Sanzhary Forestry – 1115 ha
• Kremenchuk Forestry – 1001 ha
• Hadiach Forestry – 1650 ha
• Dykanka State Forestry – 521 ha

The work was carried out using the aerosol technology HARD-MN and chemical agents "Bliskavka" 10% EC and "Fastak" 10% EC (active ingredient: alpha-cypermethrin) with an application rate of 50-100 g/ha in mass outbreak areas.

The pest control measures were completed within the optimal timeframe. According to pest population monitoring, the technical efficiency of the conducted measures reached 92-96%.