SEAGULLS' WAR ON PESTS
VALUABLE FRIENDS OF FARMERS In many parts of New Zealand, when land is ploughed, one may see large numbers of gulls feasting on worms and various kinds of harmful caterpillars and other enemies to the farmer. Sometimes the birds go far inland for these feasts which they evidently regard as delicious titbits. Mr D. Matheson of a Southland member of the .Forest and Bird Protection Society, states that black-billed gulls have done very good service for farmers by devouring myria.cls of grass grubs which the Dominion Museum has identified as being caterpillars of the Porinamoth (Porinn umbraculata) . "These grubs" savs a Southland farmer, "live deep down in the r;oij. When the weather' is very wet, they are disturbed and come to the surface. I have ncA r er seen them in such numbers. The gulls vive;] us hundreds of acres of grass. I agree that thev are of the Porina moth."
The black-backed- ttn reil-billcd and the black-billed gulls are also
helpful scavengers in various vays. Accurate observers of their habMs de clare that they have a very large credit balance in their favour as friends of humanity.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BPB19390925.2.41
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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 66, 25 September 1939, Page 6
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192SEAGULLS' WAR ON PESTS Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 66, 25 September 1939, Page 6
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