WHITE BUTTERFLY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1938, Page 8

WHITE BUTTERFLY

DESTRUCTION OF CHRYSALIDES WARNING BY AN EXPERT. A warning against the destruction of white butterfly chrysalides because of the possibility of killing parasites at the same time, has been issued by Mr R. McGillivray, Fieds Superintendent of the Department of Agriculture. As a result of personal contact with farmers, Mr McGillivray said that it was most apparent that large numbers of potential parasites were being destroyed by people who were killing the chrysalides of the white flyin some places the chrysalides were being found on buildings, fences, and posts, and he had been told that in one case a farmer had gathered several hundreds of chrysalides and burnt them. That was altogether a wrong practice to adopt because, in districts where the parasite was well established, it could be expected, even at the present time, that they were exerting a control of at least 60 per cent. Destruction of the chrysalides of the white butterflies would thus lower the amount of parasites available, because the parasite laid eggs on the chrysalis. "It is, therefore, desirable in all cases that the chrysalides should be left alone, and in that way,” added Mr McGillivray, “the parasite encouraged to increase. ’ ’