Birdhouses to replace pesticides? This is the solution introduced by winegrowers in Cairanne, in the Vaucluse. These facilities are for tits and bats, two species that feed on insects.
An alternative to insecticides
The grape worm is a family of moths whose caterpillars pierce the grapes and wreak havoc on the vines. This year, France Info tells us that the winegrowers of Cairanne have decided to give up the insecticides. Indeed, the latter are not selective: they attack both the grape worm and other insects, whose populations in the world are rapidly declining.
To reconcile their economic activity with the preservation of life, the winegrowers of Cairanne have chosen an ecological method by promoting natural predation.
A sustainable and ecological solution
By installing 300 nesting boxes for tits and bats in the heart of the Cairanne vineyards, the winegrowers encourage the presence of these vine helpers. These two species actually have the advantage of feeding on the grape worm. A cheaper alternative to the use of pesticides, but also more sustainable: the treatments have a limited effect over time, unlike natural predation.
Hedge plantings are also planned to restore the ecological corridors essential for wildlife. The latter have a broader function in the context of spatial planning: they make it possible to strengthen the landscape in response to increasing pressure on real estate.
Ecology and economy, eternal enemies? Do not think so.