< /p> The invasion of midges has become a threat to tourism in the popular Italian resort. The southernmost town of the Tuscan Riviera is Ortobello, where tourists and locals have been tormented by swarms of small insects for the past few weeks. The main reason for this, experts call hellish heat. According to La Repubblica, because of the new scourge in Ortobello, sales fell by 60 percent.
The authorities of the Tuscan town urged residents not to open windows and refrain from hanging clothes, as the fight against midge swarms is being fought. Restaurant and bar owners in Orbetello, well known for its beautiful lagoon and long sandy beaches, said their business has been hit hard as customers avoid going out for dinner.
“We have to close two hours early. This is our 2022 season, ”one of the hotel owners explained to the publication. Some establishments have completely turned off outdoor lighting and now only accept orders for dinner until 21:00 pm, which does not contribute to the growth of trade. “Despite these measures, revenues fell by 60%. Thousands of midges gather around the light bulbs and move like a disturbing wave between outdoor tables,” lamented Ovosodo restaurant owner Marco Di Pietro, describing the “psychological horror” that midges inflict on outdoor tourists.
La Repubblica quoted a tourist from Rome as saying that Orbetello was “completely infested” with insects: “It has been impossible to walk on the lagoon for almost a month now. Now it has become impossible to even dine or drink an aperitif in the street. Yesterday, the situation reached such an extreme that many shops and restaurants were forced to close around 21:00 pm, ”he said, adding that midges cling to the body so that it is impossible to eat or go into the sea.
Biologist Mauro Lenzi said last month that the infestation was linked to lagoon conditions at high temperatures, which have reduced the presence of the midges' natural predators such as frogs, bats and various birds. Authorities have now said they intend to fumigate the city for the fourth time in weeks to get rid of the pests. On the other hand, as the publication explained, local residents complained that deep pest control, which is usually carried out in the spring, was missed this year. This may have also been the cause of today's problem.
It's not just Orbetello that insects are attacking this summer, according to Corriere, nearby Castiglione della Pescaia has been swamped by wasps. Advisor in Tuscany, Leonardo Marras, spoke in more detail about the situation: “Today it is difficult to find a solution to a problem that should have been solved before. What I can say is that we are here and open to anyone who expresses concern or whose season has been ruined by these insects.
Help: Orbetello is a unique city , located on a narrow strip of land that extends to the middle of the very lagoon from which its name comes. The area of the Orbetello lagoon borders the sea with two strips of sand called “tomboli”, i.e. spits: Tombolo della Feniglia and Tombolo della Giannella is a beach strip of sand 6 km long, located between the Ansedonia hill in the east and Monte Argentario in the west. Gianella, although 6 km long, stretches from Monte Argentario to the mouth of the Albeña River.
For those who care about a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading: “A nutritionist spoke about quick snacks to get rid of sugar cravings '.