mallorca bizarre tree hanging things!

[jdn]

On a recent holiday to Mallorca we noticed boxes with plastic bags attached hanging out of trees in forest areas - can anyone tell me what they are for?

[admarlow]

I think they were to kill bugs.

[jdn]

what type of bugs? How do they work and what are they called? Anyone???

[Breezy23]

Know exactly what you mean, we noticed them as well and asked in our hotel. Think I got the gist of it after a bit of language problem and hand gesticulations. They put some sort of chemical in the box which attracts a certain moth, the moth goes inside and then can't get out again and dies in the plastic bag. It is basically some sort of agricultural control.

[admarlow]

Yes that sounds right, I think it was on fruit trees to stop the moth laying maggots in the fruit (maybe oranges??).

BTW I lived there for a few months and remember seeing them.

[jdn]

thankyou folks I can now sleep easier!

[andover888]

A local guy told me that they are to deceive flying bugs/mosquitoes.
They fill the small plastic bags with water and hang them in trees, particularly anywhere where people chill.

So the idea is that as the flying bugs/mosquitoes flies by he spots his reflection and is fooled into thinking that it is another flying bugs/mosquitoes and moves on. Clearly flying bugs/mosquitoes don�t chill together.

Yeah I wonder if the guy was serious.

[jdn]

I don't think that one could be true - only because They were alongside a busy road and at the side of the road is a dense forest that you wouldn't be able to penetrate. Thanks anyway though!