Israeli scientists release predatory beetles in Cyprus to combat invasive prickly pear pest
Israeli scientists have released around 200 Hyperaspis trifurcata beetles in Cyprus to help control the spread of the invasive insect Dactylopius opuntiae, which has destroyed up to 30% of the island's prickly pear crop since 2016. The initiative was led by Professor Zvika Mendel from Israel's Volcani agricultural research institute, following a request for assistance from Cyprus. The released beetles, natural predators of the pest, have successfully established themselves and started reducing the insect population in targeted locations.
The invasive pest weakens and eventually kills prickly pear plants by covering them with a wax coating, affecting both commercial and wild populations across most districts in Cyprus except Paphos. Commercial prickly pear cultivation spans approximately 1,500 acres, with significant damage reported on 300 to 450 acres. Cyprus funded the operation, but the Israeli team provided their expertise and resources free of charge, describing the effort as "green diplomacy."
Cyprus' climate and unmanaged prickly pear plants contribute to the pest's rapid spread. The biological control programme involving the predatory beetle is viewed as an environmentally safe and potentially permanent solution to managing the invasive species across the island.
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