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Several non-native insect species discovered around the Oslo Fjord

Oslo fjord:Photo: Pixabay

Researchers found 174 non-native insect species around the Oslo Fjord this summer. Some of them have never been detected in Norwegian nature before, including an insect that destroys crops.

The species were found using new methods in connection with a pilot project under the auspices of the Norwegian Institute of Natural Research (NINA) for the Environment Directorate, reports Aftenposten.

In the areas around the Oslo Fjord – in Viken, Telemark and Vestfold – the researchers found several non-native insects that are new to Norway. Of the 174 species they found, 46 were among those plants that are at high or very high risk in the Foreign Species List, the newspaper writes.

One of the insects the scientists found is the brown marmorated stink bug or the Halyomoroha halys. It has destroyed large crops of fruit trees in Asia and America. It was discovered for the first time outdoors in Norway this summer at Tofte in Hurum.

Last year, the insect was discovered indoors in Norway in a load of tiles, according to Forskning.no.

“The species primarily cause major financial problems for fruit and berry growers,” the researchers wrote.

“Foreign organisms are globally one of the biggest threats to natural diversity,” said section manager Bjarte Rambjør Heide of the Environment Directorate to the Aftenposten.

13 Directorates and Supervisors have drafted a new action plan against non-native organisms and is now under consideration by the Government. Among other things, the proposal seeks to step up efforts towards these species.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today

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