BIDI-BIDI PEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 307, 28 December 1935, Page 10

BIDI-BIDI PEST.

PARASITIC INSECTS.

SHIPMENT FROM CHILE.

LIBERATION IN WANGANUI. (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) WANGANUI, this day. Further advice hus been received by Mr. F. CT. Seddon, secretary of the Wanganui Farmers' Union, from Mr. David Miller, of the Cawthron Institute, who lias been in Chile collet-ting' parasitic insects to counteract bidi-bidi. The first of these insects will be liberated in the Wanganui district under the personal supervision of Mr. Miller on the holdings of those farmers who subscribed towards the cost of procuring them.

From Osorno, under the date of October 2!), Mr. Miller writes: "This is to advise you that I can now definitely state I have secured a large supply of piripiri. I saw the fly' and ray visit lias been a great success. 1 have now so many in the resting stage and suitable for transport that I. have decided to leave Chile at the end of November and should be in New Zealand early in January. After I leave here I liave arranged with an Englishman to carry on with the work; That will mean that shipments will be sent approximately each month as long as the. insect is in the resting stage. That will be up till March next and I hope we will have in New Zealand an enormous number. This man is willing to continue the work if need be in the following season, from October next.

"I have developed a method which allows an unlimited number of insects being handled with a minimum of labour. Of course, all depends on the insects being available for collecting, but there should be no difficulty in this respect judging from the. conditions I find here. The location of the collecting grounds has entailed a great deal.of work and at times one is encouraged to new grounds by false reports. I now have the best collecting grounds marked out. The weather is improving, which will also aid my work considerably, as for some time heavy-Tains have been a drawback."