Deadly 'Hoplo' Insect Threatens Uttarakhand's Sal Forests; 20,000 Trees Infected

• A tiny but deadly 'Hoplo' insect is severely damaging Sal trees in Uttarakhand's Dehradun forests, particularly in Kalsi and Mussoorie forest divisions.
• Approximately 20,000 Sal trees in Dehradun district have been infected by the Hoplo insect, which lays eggs in the bark and whose larvae eat the heartwood.
• Botany expert Trilok Singh warns that the insect hollows out trees from within, stopping nutrient circulation and eventually killing them.
• Forest Research Institute (FRI) scientists, including Dr. Arun Pratap, suggest cutting down severely infected trees as the most effective measure to stop the spread.
• The Forest Department is implementing 'containment felling' and using special insect traps, which have caught 50-70% of the insects, to control the infestation.

Why It Matters: A deadly Hoplo insect is devastating Sal forests in Dehradun, necessitating urgent measures like tree felling.