BUSY PARASITE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 845, 13 December 1929, Page 10

BUSY PARASITE

CHECK TO BLOWFLY PEST Press Association NELSON, Thursday. During the past few years one of the major problems engaging the attention of Dr. D. Miller, of the Cawthron Institute, has been to establish a parasite for the control of blowflies. Need for some control arose from attacks of blowfly upon living sheep, causing very heavy mortality in many parts of the country. Statistics collected over a period of several years show that throughout the Dominion losses among sheep from maggot infestation average some £400,000 annually. Dr. Miller imported from England in 3 920 parasite alysia, and the first step was to develop a method by which it could bo reared successfully for the purposes of liberation. This haying been accomplished small scale liberations were made at first, but owing to lack of funds mass production of the parasite, necessary for rapid establishment, could not be undertaken. However, this difficulty was overcome by the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Federation granting a sum of money which has enabled alysia to be developed on a large scale at the Cawthron Institute and extensively liberated during the present season. Examination of infested carcases in the field, where the parasites were liberated last summer and autumn show alysia present busily engaged. The actual establishment of this parasite under field conditions is a matter of very great satisfaction and the subjugation of the blowfly now depends upon the extent the parasite ■will effectively develop in its new environment. Meantime, the liberation continues from the institute insectar-