They distribute shelters for insectivorous birds, small birds of prey and bats in order to preserve rice paddies and orchards
He pest control and other threats to crops It can be done perfectly with wild species and without the need for chemical products. Insectivorous birds, bats and small birds of prey are the best guarantee to keep rodents, mosquitoes, weevils and moths at bay. Technicians from the Association of Naturalists of the Southeast (ANSE) have installed during the last months almost 300 artificial shelters and nest boxes in the Segura basin of the Murcia regionunder the project fluviatilis.
The initiative aims to apply nature-based solutions to improve pest management in rice fields, orchards and poplarsas well as reduce the presence of annoying or dangerous insects for public health (mosquitoes and other diptera).
With the placement of shelters it is intended favor the presence of different vertebrates linked to riparian environments, so that society obtains ecosystem services (pest control) and thus avoids the need for phytosanitary products.
To this end, according to ANSE in a statement, 270 boxes have been distributed to date for the following species: 27 nest boxes for rollers, hoopoe or scops owl; 6 for Eurasian Treecreepers, 56 for great tits, 28 for great tits, 5 for tawny owls, 3 for little owls and 145 artificial shelters of different models for bats.
Today, some of these boxes have already been used for nesting by the target birds and as a refuge for numerous bats.
A bat devours up to 3,000 mosquitoes per night
ANSE recalls that bats are an effective means of combating moths, mosquitoes and the rice borer. A single lactating female is capable of consuming between 1,000 and 3,000 mosquitoes per night.
For his part, an owl in the breeding season is capable of eating between 1 and 3 rodents per nightso having a pair of barn owls breeding on a farm could translate into hunting 16-18 rodents per night.
Small insectivorous birds (tit, tit, treecreeper) are great consumers of caterpillars, aphids and weevils. A pair of insectivorous birds consumes 50,000 caterpillars. in each breeding season, remember the association.
Collaboration of farmers and irrigators
The boxes have been installed on the banks and crops near the Segura and Mundo riversin the stretch between the Cenajo and Camarillas reservoirs, and the Almadenes Canyon Protected Natural Area (Murcia Region).
The measure has been launched with the participation of farmers and farm owners of the area of action, as well as with the collaboration of the Regulatory Council of the Denomination of Origin ‘Arroz de Calasparra’, the Segura Hydrographic Confederation, the Irrigation Community ‘El Esparragal’, the Sanctuary of Hope Foundation and the City Council of calasparra. The involvement of volunteers and schoolchildren in the construction of some shelters has also been decisive.
“As a green purchasing measure, lThe boxes have been produced by local carpenters that have used certified wood from Spanish farms& rdquor ;, points out the environmental entity.
The Fluviatilis project began in September 2022 with the aim of increasing the resilience of rivers in the face of climate change through fluvial stewardship, conservation and rehabilitation of riparian ecosystems.
The project has the support of the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO) within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), financed by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
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