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Carrying a crayfish plague. Dangerous American striped crayfish has entered Minsk
12.09.2024 08:41
Updated: 27.09.2024 21:06
The American striped crayfish, which is dangerous for Belarus, has entered Minsk.
The creature was discovered near the National Library.
It is assumed that the cancer could have entered the republic from Poland, the Belarus 1 TV channel reported.
Threat to native species
This arthropod was first noticed in the country in the Neman basin. Now it is periodically found in the Dnieper-Bug Canal.
Scientists say the American alien poses a real threat to common local crayfish.
Leading researcher at the hydrobiology laboratory of the Scientific and Practical Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Anatoly Alekhnovich says that sometimes these crayfish are spread by people themselves, and this is a problem.
The American striped crayfish is primarily bad because it carries diseases that kill our native species - the long-clawed and broad-clawed crayfish, he explained.
According to the scientist, the crayfish that are common in the republic have not yet adapted to existence surrounded by such diseases.
The specialist indicated that he was primarily referring to the crayfish plague.
"Belarusian hummingbirds"
The TV channel also talked about the “Belarusian hummingbirds” – hawk moths – which are atypical for the country.
During the day, only three species are reported to be encountered: the tongue, bedstraw, and bindweed.
According to data announced by the head of the laboratory of terrestrial invertebrates of the Scientific and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Bioresources Oleg Prishchepchik, about 20 species of hawk moths have been discovered in the country.
The diurnal species most often noticed by Belarusians is the bindweed hawk moth.
The characteristics inherent to this butterfly are fast wing movement, a long tongue, and an elongated trunk.
In size and body shape, the insect resembles a hummingbird, hence the appropriate popular name.
