Hopper Is Risk To Nelson Honey

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30215, 21 August 1963, Page 12

Hopper Is Risk To Nelson Honey

The pasaion-fruit hopper, which, through the honeydew it produces, may cause tutu poisoning in honey, is now very plentiful in Nelson, but the only parasite known to attack it is not found south of Wanganui, according to the annual report of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. It seems impracticable to eliminate the tutu from honey-producing areas, or to

kill the hopper by spraying, and the Entomology Division has therefore undertaken the task of biological control, says the report. “The hopper is am Australian species that, as far as can be discovered, has been in New Zealand for 100 years at least. Before searching overseas for biological control agents, a survey is first being made to determine what natural enemies of the hopper are already in New Zealand. “To date, the only parasite located is a minute wasp, parasitic on the hopper’s eggs within the tissues of the host plant. This parasite is found very commonly in northern areas, but does not appear further south than Wanganui. “Within this distribution range, parasitism of the eggs varies from nil to over 70 per cent, but in the Nelson area, where the hopper is now very plentiful, no trace of egg parasitism occurs. “There are two possible explanations of the fact that the parasite does not cover the entire host- range; either climate may act as a southern barrier, or the parasite may be a recent arrival in New Zealand, not having yet infiltrated southern populations These possibilities are being investigated.” the report says.