Source: DTE
Context: Tea planters in southern India are facing an urgent issue as the tea mosquito bug, a serious pest of fruits and tea plantations, is spreading to high-elevation areas where it was previously uncommon.
- The bug is causing significant damage to tea production in both low and high-elevation plantations across northern and southern states.
- This expansion of the bug’s territory is attributed to climate change, as warming temperatures and shifts in rainfall patterns create more suitable conditions for pests.
In addition to the tea mosquito bug, other pests are also adapting to the changing climate. Aphids, soft-bodied insects that feed on plant sap, are particularly affected. Rising temperatures allow them to reproduce more frequently, and their populations can increase significantly with even small temperature rises.
Changes in rainfall patterns and soil conditions are also impacting pest behaviour, leading to new challenges for farmers. The increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, a result of greenhouse gas emissions, is exacerbating the abundance and behaviour of herbivorous insects, further threatening crops.
