INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The unusually hot summer weather in the Moscow region this year may trigger an increase in populations of invertebrate species, the regional
Environmental Ministry said this week.Praying mantises, burgundy snails and wasp spiders, which were uncommon a decade ago, have already
established populations in the region due to winter thaws, warm springs and hot summers, officials said."The conditions in our area,
including an abundance of food and a suitable climate, have facilitated the settlement and strengthening of species from the south," said
to produce more generations within a season, with "unpredictable and often negative consequences."For example, forests in northern Russia
have already suffered from outbreaks of pests whose populations have exploded.Moscow officials reassured residents that there is no risk of
the new invaders overtaking dachas and forests, as "every bug has a predator ready to eat it.""Every year, nature surprises us, and this is
not limited to invertebrates
These are natural processes resulting from shifting habitats, global warming and an increase in food" Firsov said.
