INSECT PESTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 July 1938, Page 6

INSECT PESTS

DEPREDATIONS IN WAIRARAPA. MUCH DAMAGE BEING DONE. “A full report on the depredations of the diamond back moth and white butterfly on green crops in your district has been obtained from the Instructor in Agriculture at Masterton,” stated a letter received at today’s meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union from the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon W. Lee Martin. "The officer states,” the Minister added, “that the damage undoubtedly was severe, the damage varying somewhat from district, to district. The instructor reports that in his opinion there was no question that the diamond back moth caused much more damage than the white butterfly. Your executive may rest assured my Department has a full appreciation of the losses which can be, and have been caused by, the two pests named and no effort is being spared to discover some means of control. Apart from the white butterfly parasites, which entomologists consider will give a fair measure of control in any normal season, the Government Entomologist is at present visiting England and Europe mainly relative to methods of control of injurious insects and one of the major matters receiving investigation is the diamond back moth and its control. It is hoped that on his return to the Dominion, towards the end of the current year, the entomologist will be equipped With information, the application of which will at least give some measure of control .of the diamond back moth.” .The president, Mr Hugh Morrison, said it was very satisfactory to know that the matter was being so thoroughly taken in hand.