The spread of Marchalina hellenica (Gen.) throughout Greece 

What is Marchalina hellenica, the cause of that white fluff growths on pine trees?

Marchalina hellenica (Gennadios P.) is an insect that lives in the cracks and under the scale of bark of pine trees, weakening the tree and in this manner causing its partial or total necrosis. It exists in various locations around the Eastern Mediterranean basin. This insect was first located in Greece by entomologist Panayiotis Gennadios during the previous century when it existed solely in small and geographically restricted populations. The insect, as a first instar larva, produces a waxy white cotton-like egg mass as a protective covering, known colloquially as meldew of the pine while its excretions, rich in carbohydrates (initially products of the pine tree’s photosynthesis), form the familiar honeydew that drops off pine trees and is the basic food gathered by forest honeybees to produce pine honey. It is estimated that up to 60% of the pine honey produced in Greece and Turkey relies on Marchalina hellenica.

Marchalina hellenica reproduces by parthenogenesis having one generation per year. It lives in the cracks of the trees’ bark, hidden by the waxy white cotton mass it produces and lives off the sap of the tree, sucking it with its long proboscis (which is twice the length of her body, up to 2cm long). According to K. Nikolopoulos (1965) the female’s life cycle includes four stages: egg, first instar larvae, second instar larvae and adult. During the second stage it overwinters and dramatically increases the amount of sap it drains from the afflicted tree, either directly or indirectly creating the phenomena of complete or partial desiccation observed.
At some point in time, ignorant of, or indifferent to the potential catastrophic ecological consequences, certain Beekeeping Cooperatives decided to spread this insect throughout Greece, with the blessings of scientists from the Ministry of Agriculture who provided instructions to that effect. Artificial introduction took place without any previous study or research on the topic; without the involvement or knowledge of the competent forestry services of the Ministry of Agriculture. This radically perturbed the ecological balance, particularly in urban and suburban pine trees (parks, forests, gardens, row trees etc.). This insect has few truly successful natural predators and is directly or indirectly decimating the pine forests of Greece.

The chronicle of the spread of Marchalina hellenica

The history of this ecological disaster as set out in the book by agriculturalist Thanassis Bikos.  

In 2000 the Ministry of Agriculture circulated a book by its employee, agriculturalist Thanasis Bikos, with instructions on how to effectively propagate the spread of the insect utilising artificial inoculation. The book is the clear proof of how and when this ecological disaster was perpetrated and by whom.
This particularly interesting book exhorts and instructs beekeepers, as on page 48: “Proceed with open inoculations” recommends the agriculturalist. “In other words, disseminate the inoculations throughout the forest and give the worker time to proceed by itself in stages. We will set many sweet little fires in the forest”, finishes Mr. Bikos sagaciously. Besides, in the book’s introduction, the author refers to his fight to spread the meldew noting prophetically that he has “fought a decade-long battle (1990-2000) whose results are already apparent, and will continue to be present”.

According to this publication of the Ministry of Agriculture, experimental inoculations of pines were already in effect in the nineteen nineties: the graphs prepared so carefully by Bikos show data from the artificial spread caused by the Ministry of Agriculture that go back to 1991. Specifically, experiments commenced in the forests surrounding the city of Athens, and those of Attica in general, which were a priori considered by the supporters of the usefulness of M. hellenica to be ideal fields of experiment. According to the plan set out by Mr. Bikos in his book, systematic attempts to spread the insect commenced in 1991 in the area of Pangrati around the First Cemetery. Thus on the 12.4.1991 50 adult females in mobile, crawling form, were utilised for the first time and placed in strategic positions around the region, on approximately 14 pine trees of approximately 25 years of age. Subsequently their spread was systematic monitored up to 1996. On 12.4.1991 inoculation took place on healthy pine trees in the area surrounding “Panepistimioupoli”, the Athens University Campus of Zographou. Subsequently, on 1.5.1991 a second experiment took place in the region of the Hellenikon Airport. A branch bearing egg sacks was placed on “sickly” pine trees. The data provided by the Ministry are indicative: In November 1991, 2 pine trees were infected. In October 1992 the epidemic had affected 9 pine trees. In October 1993 it had spread to 16 pine trees. By September 1994, 21 pine trees were affected; by October 1995 that number had become 28 and finally in December 1996 it had reached 41 pine trees.

In 1991 there was also an inoculation of the pine trees in the area surrounding the square of Daphni, where 50 females in crawling form, which quickly spread around the square. On 30.4.1993 there were inoculations in the trees at the Varkiza / Vouliagmeni cemetery. On 2 May 1994, inoculations took place in the region of Ilisia. On 30 April the inoculations continued, targeting the pine trees in the region of Vyronas. On 18.6.1996 there is a notation that there still exist some “sickly trees which have not been inoculated”. All the above data are derived from the original diagrams of that time.

 
 
 Table showing the locations of applications from 1991 up to 1996:

No.	LOCALES	YEAR OF APPLICATION
1	Varkiza / Vouliagmeni Cemetary	91, 92, 93
2	Argyroupoli Reforestation Areas	91,92,93,94,95
3	Zographou University Campus	91,92,93,94,95
4	Vyronas Cemetary (Right Side)	93,94,95
5	Vyronas Cemetary (Upper Side)	93,94,95
6	Ilissia Student Hall of Residence	91,92,93,94,95
7	Hellenikon	91, 92, 93
8	Pangrati – Ymittou Street	91, 92, 93
9	Army Camp Eucalyptii Vyronas	93, 94, 95
10	Terpsithea / Upper Glyfada	93, 94, 95
11	Nea Smyrni	92, 94, 95
12	Daphni	91, 92, 93
13	Ano Kalamaki	92, 94, 95
14	Kaisariani	92, 94, 95

B. Inoculating Fir Trees

According to research entomologist Mr. Bacandritsos, Mount Helmos in the Peloponnese was the site of inoculations of fir trees with M. hellenica, specifically 270 fir trees in 1995 and another 270 in 1996 (the experiment took place at longitude 22o11’33”East, latitude 37o59’30” North, at an altitude of 2,200 metres.

During the same period there were inoculations in the region of Mount Fteri (the experiment took place at longitude 22o4’40’’ East, latitude 38o9’10” North, at an altitude of 700 metres).

However, tree “inoculations” did not stop. Instead they multiplied.

State and European subsidies for inoculation

From 1992 the Apiculture Department of the Agricultural University of Athens contrived to gain subsidies through the Regional Business Initiatives), acquiring 74 million drachmas to inoculate 10,000 stremmata (1,000 square metres to a single stremma) in the forests of Central Macedonia and Sterea Hellas.

There followed entrance into the Second Delors Package. The Second Community Support Framework approved 55,000 stremmata for inoculations worth 440 million drachmas. The programme was to start in 1999 and end in five years. In fact in 1996 the Ministry of Agriculture issued a book of instruction for the successful inoculation of trees.

According to Mr. Bikos’ book, total inoculations amounted to:
 

YEAR	BEEKEEPING COOPERATIVE	MILLION DRACHMAS	AREA INOCULATED (STREMMATA)
1996	39	120	15,000
1997	38	120	15,000
1998	42	136	34,000
1999	44	175,5	43,875
2000	46	183,5	45,875
TOTAL	209	735	15,3750

  Reaction by Philodassiki

Philodassiki were first in calling attention to the danger that existed. At the same time that the Ministry of Agriculture grew suspiciously deaf, Philodassiki started to denounce the connivance between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Beekeeping Cooperatives. On the 2 October 2003, Philodassiki organised a conference with guests Ms. Anna Psarouda-Benaki, then Vice-Speaker of the Greek Parliament; Professor Christos Zerefos, former chairman of the Symvoulio Epikrateias (Council of State), and the Chairman of the Chamber for Environment, Michalis Dekleris; Dr. Theod. Broumas; representatives of the section for the administration of the Natural Environment of the Ministry of the Environment, Town Planning and Public Works; Dr. P. Petrakis; and many others. This conference highlighted that this artificially-caused spread of Marchalina hellenica constitutes a threat of total destruction.

Subsequently, the Philodassiki has continued to decry this event, making use of interviews and publications to inform public opinion on the issue.