Swarms of midges invade Yerevan districts amid heavy rains

Residents across central Yerevan and several administrative districts say swarms of midges and other flying insects have surged dramatically this year, with locals complaining the pests are entering homes, vehicles and even people’s eyes, noses and mouths.

Environmental experts and municipal officials attribute the outbreak primarily to unusually wet weather and elevated humidity levels, though critics argue local authorities failed to take sufficient preventive measures ahead of the seasonal spike.

“This is the consequence of both climate change and the Yerevan Municipality’s failure to implement the necessary interventions,” environmentalist Silva Adamyan told Panorama.am in an interview on Friday.

Adamyan said environmental monitoring efforts should have been more closely coordinated with Armenia’s Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center, particularly after forecasts predicted persistent rainfall this spring.

“When meteorological services issue forecasts, competent agencies are obligated to respond accordingly, paying attention to vegetation and biodiversity,” she said.

According to Adamyan, prolonged spring conditions and excessive precipitation have contributed to insect population growth in multiple regions around the world this year.

“In Armenia, rainfall levels have been especially high,” she said. “In countries where precipitation and humidity increase, midge populations naturally expand. That is a normal phenomenon. However, in our case, additional problems have emerged.”

She argued that municipal authorities should have undertaken preventive spraying operations using environmentally safe chemical agents that do not endanger biodiversity or public health.

“I believe the Municipality’s environmental department was aware of the situation, but either the measures were insufficient or improperly carried out,” Adamyan said. “Again, this is a natural occurrence linked to increased rainfall, but the necessary precautions should have been taken.”

Adamyan also linked the proliferation of insects to armed conflicts, asserting that modern warfare can have unpredictable environmental consequences.

“Yes, military confrontations can play a major role because we do not know what kinds of weapons are being used,” she said. “Naturally, it is not only drones. Developed countries possess weapons capable of exerting specific impacts on the environment.”

Armen Begoyan, director of Yerevan Municipality’s Landscaping and Environmental Protection agency, identified three principal causes behind the surge in insects.

“The abundance of midges is primarily connected to rainfall and the resulting humidity in the city and surrounding areas,” Begoyan said.

He noted that spraying operations have been underway since March 20 and have already been conducted twice in all administrative districts and three times in the city center.

“However, the constant rain washes away the chemical agents, significantly reducing their effectiveness,” Begoyan explained. “Due to the near-daily rainfall, these treatments have not been able to deliver full results.”

Begoyan identified diseased elm trees in certain parts of Yerevan as a third contributing factor. The trees release a sticky substance that attracts insects, particularly in Komitas Avenue and parts of central Yerevan.

“In those districts, the situation is expected to be worse because insects are drawn toward these trees,” he said.

Begoyan expressed optimism that conditions would improve if rainfall subsides.

“If the rains stop, the situation should improve within five days, and the sprayed substances will become more effective,” he said.

He added that many of the affected elm trees are nearing the end of their biological lifespan and cannot be effectively treated without applying chemical concentrations exceeding permissible safety standards.

“Those trees are subject to replacement,” Begoyan said. “They have effectively become reservoirs where pests overwinter and proliferate.”