LAND PESTS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1933, Page 3

LAND PESTS

.CONTROL BY INSECT LIFE,

IMPORTANT RESEARCH WORK NELSON, February v>}s. Discussing recent operations of the department of Entomology of the Cawthron Institute, Dr D. Miller said he considered that the cinnabar moth, which had been liberated .in . certain districts, would be an important factor in the control qf ragwort, but it will not likely be adequate in itself as a check to the weed. He was, therefore, working with another insect, a small fly, the grubs of which destroy the seeds. He was now awaiting a permit from the Government to liberate it. Tuese insects combined were expected to have a great influence in checking the spread of the weed!

“It is not my custom to reply to criticism,” said Dr Miller, “but/'’ it has been, widely rumoured that we liberated in Hawke's Bay the cabbage white butterfly in mistake for the cinnabar moth. This, of course, is preposterous, and there would be as much chance of a gunman mistaking a clay pigeon for a live one.” *

For the control of mealy bug, which attacked grapes, apples and citrus fruit, a parasite had been secured from California, where it was about 100 per cent efficient. So good had been results that the. Californian scientists had given up breeding another parasite. In New Zealand there were several species of mealy bug, and the parasite in question attacked the most iniportant of them. The institute .was at present rearing it, and if multiplied very quickly it would be liberated shortly. Another parasite which was being reared in large numbers was expected to deal with the earwig pest. It was a fly - obtained from England and America. Liberation would- be made in the fii'st instance- in Central Otago, where the earwig was a menace to stone .fruit.