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Brown leaves in Bedfont

Posted by Lucy Proctor on Sep 16, 08 11:26 AM in Local Authority

Autumn appears to have arrived early in Bedfont thanks to an army of foreign bugs that are attacking trees from Feltham to Chiswick and turning their leaves brown.

Leaf-miner moths arrived in the country from the Balkans six years ago and have been spreading at a rate of knots ever since - but before this year they were never seen in Bedfont. Their larvae attack horse chestnut trees, turning leaves brown much sooner than would normally happen.

Doug Napier, head of development for parks contractor Continental Landscapes, said: "The problem really came to a head during the very hot summer two years ago. It's probably related to climate change but the damage is not thought to be permanent.

"The moths are spreading very quickly. Two years ago some areas, like Bedfont, didn't seem to be affected, but they're everywhere now."

Leaf-miner bugs are so-called because the larvae burrow through leaves cerating 'mines' and causing surrounding areas to die.

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