"Horrid scenes, you walk in snow, insects all around you, jumping on you": Black beetles sow fear in villages

Photo: RINA

Winter has long since started, and the new snow that was falling all over Western Serbia is not melting yet. However, in addition to blocking certain roads, it brought unusual problems to the villagers in Zbojstica and Ljubanje near the town of Uzice. Black beetles have been milling on the surface of the white blanket for days, and even those who have lived here the longest don't remember such an occurence.

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"Neither the frost nor the ice prevents them from infesting the villages. At every step in our village you can see a bunch of black beetles, more and more every day. The scene is really scary, you feel uncomfortable when you walk in the snow surrounded by unknown insects and it often happens that they jump on your feet," Drago Zunjic from the village of Zbojstica told RINA.

Apart from the fact they are unpleasant to look at, the locals are afraid that these bugs will cause damage to their crops.

"There are many hectares under crops here and we are afraid that with the arrival of the spring they might cause damage or bring diseases to the plants. This winter, our children also couldn't go sledding and enjoy the snow, because we don't dare let them play with a bunch of bugs all around them that we know nothing about," adds Drago.

According to the locals, the majority of bugs can be found next to roads and woods, but also very close to their homes.

Photo: RINA

"We have survived disasters, heavy snows, viruses, and now snow bugs have come to bother us. I've grown old in this village, but I don't remember such bugs ever jumping around in westhe snow," says Milija Zunic, who is in his 80s.

The Agricultural Advisory Expert Service (PSSS) in Uzice is telling the locals that there is no reason to be afraid. They stress that these beetles are not harmful, and have now come out in search of food.

"There is no reason to panic, inhabitants of these villages can rest assured. The black beetles will withdraw when the snow melts," the PSSS said.

(Telegraf.rs)