The Bunyola Town Council and the Department of Forest Health have concluded the annual campaign against the banyarriquer with 3,213 specimens captured in Sa Comuna.
The Bunyola Town Council, in collaboration with the Department of Forest Health, has wrapped up the annual capture and control campaign for the banyarriquer (Cerambyx cerdo), a wood-boring insect that threatens the holm oaks of the Tramuntana mountain range. The work has taken place in the protected area of Sa Comuna in Bunyola, where a total of 93 traps have been installed between kilometres 5 and 7 of the forest track.
The official balance of the season reveals a substantial figure: 3,213 specimens captured across the two counts conducted. Of these, 1,155 correspond to municipal traps, while the 800 traps placed by the Department of Forest Health within the forest have allowed for the capture of an additional 2,058 specimens.
The campaign employs a traditional and environmentally friendly trapping method. Each trap is prepared with bait consisting of one litre of wine and 300 grams of sugar, fermented for 48 hours. The sweet smell of the fermented wine acts as an attractant to lure the insects, which become trapped in a preservation liquid made from one litre of water and 300 grams of salt.
This natural solution keeps the specimens in good condition until the technicians carry out the emptying and counting. The system avoids the use of chemical products and minimises the impact on the rest of the fauna in the area.
The joint efforts allow for the control of the banyarriquer's presence and protect the holm oaks of Sa Comuna, an area of great environmental, scenic, and heritage value for the municipality. The next campaign will resume next season, once the technicians analyse the data collected this year.
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