The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said there is no invasion of swarming grasshoppers reaching Türkiye from the Balkans, Africa or any other region.
In a statement issued following social media posts claiming that Istanbul and nearby provinces were experiencing a grasshopper invasion, the ministry said inspections and monitoring by its teams found no grasshopper population threatening agricultural production or causing economic damage in the Marmara region, particularly in Istanbul and Tekirdağ.
The ministry said species identification of the insects seen in widely shared images revealed that all belong to native grasshopper populations naturally found in Türkiye.
"Contrary to claims, there is no invasion of swarming grasshoppers reaching our country from the Balkans, Africa or any other region," the statement said.
It added that the species identified in Istanbul is the white-faced bush cricket, which does not harm agricultural production. Instead, it feeds on agricultural pests and contributes to the biological balance.
