Residents of Aktau are reporting a mass appearance of black beetles, similar to darkling beetles. The insects have overrun stairwells, covered windows and are getting into apartments, causing alarm and discomfort among the city's residents.
According to Lada.kz, in a chat for residents of the second microdistrict, it was reported that beetles had occupied the gallery of a residential building. Similar reports came from building No. 11 in the eighth microdistrict. People do not know where to turn, as local services are not responding.
The city administration stated that there are no plans for disinsection yet, as treating the basements of apartment buildings falls under the responsibility of the OSI and KSK.
The territorial inspectorate of the state inspection committee in the agro-industrial complex of the Ministry of Agriculture reported that this type of insect does not fall within their remit, but clarified that the beetles pose no biological threat.
"They pose no danger whatsoever to human health, plants or buildings, they merely cause discomfort," the department noted.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the regional environmental council of the ECOJER Association and member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Adilbek Kozybakov, believes that the sharp increase in insect numbers is linked to climate change.
"People are not prepared for this, but it is no cause for panic. This phenomenon could have been predicted and an explanation provided to the public. Funds should be allocated from the budget for research into flora and fauna. Unfortunately, such monitoring has not been carried out for a long time. If it had been, specialists would have prepared a forecast in advance – saying that due to increased humidity, insect numbers might rise," the ecologist says.
Incidentally, a similar invasion of black beetles was previously observed in the village of Beyneu in the Mangystau region, from where, according to residents, the insects may have migrated towards Aktau. At that time, local services also stated that the mass appearance of the beetles was due to weather conditions.
Problems with uninvited 'guests' in Aktau are not unprecedented. Previously, there had been an increase in cases of rodents appearing on the promenade. Local residents have been recording video of rats running freely along the walking area.