Orange cultivators in Bibile of the Monaragala district have been disturbed by a species of fruit sucking pests damaging their produce.
Orange farmers living in the villages- Bulupitiya, Hamanawa,Nagala, Serawa, Nelliyadda and Galgamuwa- have been affected by the menace.
Agrarian Development Officer Sunil Dodampage said the pest attack takes place at dusk between 6.00 pm and 7.00 pm. He said fruits, once hit by this particular pest, fall off and rot under trees.    He also said farmers should make log fires under trees to keep this fruit sucker at bay, and otherwise there was no solution to the menace.   By Prasanna Pathmasiri-Lunugala