THE BIDI-BIDI PEST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 77, 13 January 1936, Page 7

THE BIDI-BIDI PEST.

PARASITE FLIES IMPORTED. DR. MILLER’S OPINION. (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, Jan. 12. Before long a determined effort will he made in various parts oi New Zealand to destroy the burr or bidi-bidi with insect parasites. A passenger by the lonic, which arrived a Auckland to-day from London, via Panama, was Dr. D. "Miiler (assistan director and chief entomologist at the Cawthron Institute, Nelson), who has just spent several months in 'Southern Chile collecting parasites. Thirty thousand insects of the Chilean saw-fly species will be landed from the lonic. Dr. Miller said he had originally found this species of insect during a visit to Southern Chile five years ago. He had brought specimens back to the Dominion witli him, and so suc'cessful were his experiments with them that he had returned to Chile tO' obtain a large number of insects and to make arrangements for constant supplies for New Zealand. The expedition had been sponsored by a group of farmers in the Wanganui district, and by the Cawthron Institute. On his arrival in Southern Chile 715' had found that the country had just experienced an abnormally wet and bitterly cold session, with the result that he had had great difficulty in finding insects. Later, however, he had been very successful in finding places where the insect grubs were plentiful. Much of the success of the expedition came from the help he had received from the British' consular service, especially from Mr G v . Caistor, vice-consul in Southern Chile.

The insects Dr. Miller has procured lay their eggs in the leaves of the bidi-bidi. The grubs that batch from the eggs feed on the leaves and flowers of the bidi-bidi, keeping it under control. As bidi-bidi causes great damage to wool, the results of the liberation of these insects, it is stated, will be watched with great interest by wool growers in the Dominion.