A notable increase in grasshopper populations across several Istanbul districts has forced residents to keep windows shut, an influx linked to the agricultural harvest in the neighboring Thrace region.
Activity is concentrated in areas near green spaces, including Arnavutköy, Sultanbeyli, Beykoz and Maltepe. Residents have shared images of the insects, some measuring 20 centimeters, appearing on balconies and vehicles.
Arnavutköy resident Erdal Sayan noted the toll of the increase on his household. “I try to keep windows closed as much as possible because my wife and children are very unsettled,” Sayan said.
Official assessments attribute the rise in the population to higher temperatures and the ongoing harvest. Indoor artificial lighting is drawing the insects into homes as residents open windows to manage nighttime humidity.
The swarms comprise Saga ephippigera and the Egyptian grasshopper, which pose no threat to humans. Entomologists advise against killing the insects to maintain the ecological balance.
