Climbing Frogs.

Manawatu Herald, 1 December 1898, Page 3

Climbing Frogs.

Mr T. W. Kirk reports on the work done during the year in which he mentions Climbing Frogs: Tree Frogs.—k consignment of six dozen of these insect-destroyers was also obtained and liberated at suit able spots in the following districts : West Coast Wellington Province, Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay, and Auckland. It is hoped that the breeding-centres thus provided will ere long enable a considerable number of these batrachians to be distributed to other localities. These frogs are similar to the ordinary green frog so common in many parts of New Zealand, except that it has a very considerable advantage over that species— in that its toes are provided with suckers whioh enable the animal to dlimb trees and houses in search of insects. In Sydney I have seen these frogs at the top of a wall four stories high. Moreover, so great were the climbing powers of. several which I had in confinement that they could walk up the glass of a window " just like a fly." Other birds and animals, including small bats, will be procured nest season, and it is hoped that these, together with the predacious insects already imported and yet to come, will materially aid settlers in keeping down the hordes of injurious insects whioh injure the cultivations. I desire, however, here to reiterate the warning I gave some years ago — that settlers must regard these " friendly " creatures only as aids, and take oare that the principal part o! the work of controlling harmful insects is performed by themselves. the so-called natural enemies, friendly birds and insects, will, when pests are once brought within reasonable limits, continue the good work and aid in keeping them in check - there are very few natural enemies that will do oar work for us. A propos of the above remarks, I may be allowed to quote Professor Howard, the greatest living economic entomologist Writing to South Australia re parasites of the codltn moth, he say* v It seems to me a comparatively useless matter to introduce American parasites into South Australia, as if they are not efficacious at Home it is unreasonable to expect that they will j be so abroad. Enterprising apple- j growers in this country every year grow enormous crops of sound apples as a result of spraying with Parisgreen, Londott^purple, whith arsenic or arsenate of lead, once shortly after the blossoms fall, and again one or two weeks later. lam thoroughly convinced that success in growing apples and pears in your colony in future will depend upon the general adoption of spraying measures, rather than upon the results of efforts to j introduce parasites and other j predaciou3 insects. I also think that the spraying should be m.xde compulsory."