PORINA MOTHS FLYING AGAIN

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31500, 14 October 1967, Page 10

PORINA MOTHS FLYING AGAIN

Flights of porina moths have' now started. Mr W. R. Lobb, superintendent

of the Department of Agriculture’s irrigation research station at Winchmore, said that 2316 moths had been trapped last week compared with 95 in the corresponding period of last year.

The indication was that flights had started a little earlier this year, he said.

While it would come into the following week’s figures, he added that a very big flight had been recorded on Monday of this week. According to the most recent annual report of the station, moth catches reached a new peak last season when 28,061 moths were trapped for the week ending October 29 last year. The report says that Polyhedral virus had been detected in porina in the Methven, Dorie and Willowby areas and had been reducing the numbers at caterpillars quite considerably, but not before they had already damaged the pasture. It remained to be seen what effect this would have on this season’s flights.

Gregarine cysts had also been detected in porina. This one-celled parasite was not supposed to kill the eaterpillars, but evidence collected in the period under review

In Mid-Canterbury and Southland might refute this. One caterpillar had 226 plus in its body which was exceptional as they rarely exceeded 21. Porinas from Winchmore, Rokeby, Tinwald, Dorie and Highbank had been found to be infected.

Numerous paddocks had also been affected with a muscardine fungus, which was destroying porina in quite substantial numbers. Observations would suggest that pasture management with Irrigation might encourage this fungus.