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Under the vibrant petals of world renowned roses in Kenya, a quiet crisis takes place. False butterflies of codling – a pest from Africa but fears through Europe – threatens the country’s flower industry and the livelihoods that depend on it.
Just in 2024, Kenya recorded 95 shipments that buyers refused to accept and 48 shipments that customs stopped before final delivery due to the detection of mites, involving more than 2.1 million stems. These represent approximately 1.4% of the flowers that Kenya expected to export to European Union countries and was estimated at around 1.13 million USD.
For an industry that generated $ 835 million in export profits last year and directly employs more than 200,000 people, these losses threaten entire communities.
Ndlela Shepard is entomologist at the International Center for Physiology and Ecology of Insects in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The fake codling butterfly, said Shepard, is indigenous in Africa and is classified as a quarantine pest by the EU and other markets due to the damage it can make.
“It attacks more than 70 plant species in more than 40 families,” said Shepard.
Detect infestation
Kenya represents almost 40% of the roses bought by the EU, most flowers sold by Dutch auctions. Since 2020, the EU has increased the number of Kenyan roses which it samples for the detection of the infestation from five to 25%. A single larva can now lead to the rejection of an entire shipment.
“Eggs are almost impossible to see,” said Shepard. “They are placed on leaves or twigs, often in small groups. When farmers notice damage, the larvae have already dug the floral pimples. At that time, it is too late to recover the harvest. ”
To answer, the Kenya Ministry of Agriculture launched the approach of the False Codling Moth pink systems; He recorded 134 farms, formed more than 1,300 people and implemented strict pre and post-harvest measures.
At the level of the farm, the detection is based on visual inspections, sticky traps improved by pheromones – which use synthetic versions of natural chemical signals emitted by a target pest – and light traps to catch butterflies, in particular at dusk, when they are the most active.
Technical tools alone are not enough. To control the pest, farmers are turning more and more towards organic alternatives – including mushrooms and bacteria that kill the butterfly without harming the plant – and traps that spread these natural agents when butterflies come into contact with them. These methods do not leave chemical residues, which makes them safer for export.
“Integrated pest management combines several approaches, which is much more effective,” said Shepard.
Antiparasitic
Farmers adopt several techniques. These include mass trapping with pheromone devices and sanitation efforts to eliminate infested plant material. They also use biological controls such as fungi and bacteria that target the butterfly without harming crops and deploy self-inoculation devices that attract moth butterflies to fungal spores, which they propagate while mating.
“The butterfly enters inside, being attracted by the pheromone, picks up the fungal spores and leaves,” said Shepard. “When he tries to mate with another insect, he transfers the fungus.”
The International Center for Physiology and Ecology of Insects even piloted a method of treatment of cold – frightening flowers for four weeks to kill all the stages of the life of pests.
“We have shown that if someone stores flowers within one degree Celsius for four weeks, it kills all stages of life,” said Shepard. “And what we have done was not detrimental to the quality of the flowers.”
These methods could support the transition from Kenya to shipping by maritime freight, a greener alternative to the air cargo favored by the EU. But longer transit times mean that the fight against pests must be waterproof.
The flowery industry of Kenya
Not all farms cannot meet these expectations. Chemical options remain – but with consequences. “Cyanide will kill everything,” said Shepard. “But if you spray this, your shipment will not pass the EU residue tests. Farmers are trapped. They must control the pest, but they must also meet the export standards.”
The biggest challenge is perhaps the fragmented policy of Kenya on the fight against pests. The butterfly attacks not only roses, but also corn, capsicum (peppers), cotton and avocado. “If we only control it in flowers, we will never win,” said Shepard. “We must coordinate all cultures and all regions.”
He said the butterfly can spread up to five kilometers per season. “A farm can do anything properly,” he said. “But if the guy next to corn or capsicum and does nothing, the butterfly returns.”
Not all farmers cannot afford biological or cold -tested solutions. And while government agencies coordinate interventions, the extent of action remains an obstacle.
“Right now, everyone is working in silos,” said Shepard. “We must approach this as a public health campaign – coordinate between cultures, all regions, or we will never contain it.”
The deadline for April 2025 has passed, but inspections should remain tight. Kenya producers can have the tools to manage the pest. But unless these tools are used universally – through farms, cultures and regions – the industry will remain vulnerable to the smallest and persistent threats.
Questions to consider:
1. Why does the European Union matter so many Flowers of Kenya?
2. How does Kenya try to eliminate fake codling butterflies for the environment?
3. Do you think it is important to know where the flowers sold in a store come from? For what?
