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Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1922, Page 3

An insect sent in a match-box, with its lava by 51 r (J. Arnold. Waimoa West, Nelson, has boon identified by M. I). Miller. Government Entomologist. as a native beetle* ol New Zealand, which recently lies attained some notoriety on account ol its attacks on wooden buildings, and on milled timbers. The perfect insect is brown and about a quarter of an inch long; it is much larger than the common borer that favours particularly the white pine. The damage, as in the case of all borers, is done l*y tin* lav i —the grub -which is about the same size as the perfect insect, and is yellowish white and soft. Mr Arnold gives a serious account of the beetle’s destructiveness; “About two years ago, T lifted the floor covering of a room in niy house. T found that the timber all round the fireplace was completely rotten, riddled by the grtili. I took up all the floor, (minted the scantling with kerosene, drenched all the ground and the scantling with Joves’ fluid, and put down a

new Hoor. To-day, August 15, T took up the covering again. The grubs wore through the new floor around the fireplace. I found that they started from a plate that runs across the front of the fireplace, which evidently held grubs two years ago. I took hath grubs and perfect insects out of the wo: <l. 1 drenched all around to-day with sheep-dip and then with kerosene and put the (loi r down again. The grid's bore holes about rs wide as incli nails. Some carpenters here state that it is the red pine borer others state that it is not. It is a dreadful pest.” Its official title is Ambecodontus tristis.

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