Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1537832
GozoToday is a weekly newspaper focused primarily on Gozo. It hopes to serve as a source of information on business, culture, entertainment and of course current affairs. Gozo has a special charm about it but it is also a bustling Island with an identity of its own. GozoToday is published every Friday and is available to numerous outlets in Gozo and on the ferries that carry so many visitors to Gozo from Malta and beyond. GozoToday MediaToday Co. Ltd, Vjal ir-Rihan San Gwann SGN 9016 ASSISTANT EDITOR: LAURA CALLEJA Tel: (356) 21 382741-3, 21 382745-6 Website: www.maltatoday.com.mt E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt 3 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 25 JULY 2025 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The discovery was made by Sci- berras, director of The Extermi- nator, and lepidopterist Jonathan Agius. The finding has been doc- umented in a scientific paper. Rhesala moestalis belongs to the family Erebidae and was first described by entomologist Fran- cis Walker in 1866. It is widely distributed across subtropical Africa, from Sierra Leone to So- malia and South Africa, as well as throughout South and South- east Asia and the African Indian Ocean islands. Sciberras said the moth likely reached the islands through im- ported plants, particularly Ficus species such as fig or ornamental rubber trees. "It was found infest- ing rabbit feed in a main pet sup- ply shop in Gozo," he explained. "It feeds on Ficus leaves, which means it could become a pest if it spreads." The paper warns that in- troduced insects like Rhesala moestalis can cause significant damage if left unchecked. "It's a great reminder of why we need to inspect imported plants and monitor for new species," Sciber- ras said. He added that the spread of the species was successfully contained thanks to swift inter- vention by his team. Rise in German Cockroaches and Cereal Weevils Sciberras also reported a no- table increase in German cock- roaches (Blattella germanica) in Gozo, particularly in the Xlendi area, along with a surge in ce- real weevils. While common in many regions, cereal weevils are destructive. "They can cause sig- nificant damage to stored grain and may drastically reduce crop yields. Females lay many eggs, and the larvae consume the in- sides of grain kernels," Sciberras explained. He noted that several stores had already experienced infestations. Pest species can play a positive role Despite these concerns, Sci- berras highlighted the ecological importance of some insects often labeled as pests. "Gozo harbours a wide range of pest species, but many of them play crucial eco- logical roles," he said. One such example is the Jeffrey's Fungus Rock cockroach (Heter- ogamisca jeffreyana), known in Maltese as Wirdiena tal-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral ta' Jeffrey. Endemic to Malta, this species was named after botanist Jeffrey Sciberras— the brother of the scientist who discovered it. It is one of two new cockroach species identified in Malta in recent years, increasing the known species from seven to twenty-three. "Many people don't realise that three-quarters of the food chain worldwide rely on cockroaches at some point for survival," Sciber- ras noted. New moth species spotted in Gozo marks first sighting in Europe AN agricultural farm located in Xewkija, Gozo, is currently being worked on reg- ularly, Minister for Gozo and Planning Clint Camilleri confirmed. Camilleri was responding to a parlia- mentary question put forward by Na- tionalist MP Chris Said, regarding the status of the government owned land. Said asked whether the land was being actively cultivated and what the gov- ernment's plans were for it, including whether the land would remain in public hands or be privatized. In response, Camilleri said that the farm is fully operational and used for cultivating a variety of crops and trees. He detailed ongoing research activities being conducted in collaboration with the University of Malta, including: • Shadehouses for growing fruit trees • Greenhouses cultivating vegeta- bles such as peas, tomatoes, pep- pers, eggplants, lettuce, and squash • Fields for growing fodder for live- stock • Carob cultivation • Growing local products such as squash and cotton • Cultivation of various fruit trees including citrus and fig trees • An agribusiness field used for stu- dent education • A field planted with indigenous trees Camilleri also said that the farm fol- lows crop rotation practices to maintain soil health, and fodder produced on the farm is used to feed livestock owned by the government. Government farm in Xewkija fully operational, minister confirms