THE WOOD BORER

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 172, 9 April 1923, Page 8

THE WOOD BORER

A DESTRUCTIVE PEST EFFORTS TO PREVENT ITS INTRODUCTION For some time past the officers of the State Forest Service have been, making investigations into the timberdestroying propensities of various beetles and grubs, with the special object of finding out how foreign timber pests enter Hie Dominion. A short time back an examination was made shipment of Australian hardwood which arrived at the Wellington wharves, and many of the logs were found to be harbouring a grub pest which is capable of most serious damage to wooden buildings, telegraph poles, piles, etc. The grub varies in , «izc, hut averages about an inch or an inch and a half in length ; in appearance it is not unlike the New Zealand pest known as the “lu-lu.” tapering from the 1.-ad of its white body. Having ascertained the means by which the pest reaches the country, the Department is endeavouring to prevent its entry, and to this end it is approaching various bodies seeking their co-operation. Last week two of the Department's officers waited on file executive of the Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association to explain the damage being done by the Australian beetle. It was shown that after penetrating the bark of tho tree flic pest thrives on the sap. and then finds its wav into th© wood itself, where it works extensive havoc and rapidly eats the timber away. It does not attack native trees, but it has been found that it i« verv partial to exotic trees. Its most serious effect is unon timber in use in construction works, which it. rapidlv ents through and weakens until it collapses. The deputation pointed out that tho best way of reducing the possibility of the entry of the pest was bv stripping the timber, before impor£ation. of its bark and by taking out' the sap. The Department intends to take definite action in putting down the beetle, prebably in the direction of enforcing a rigid inspection of timbers coming into the country. The Sawmillers’ Association executive passed a resolution sunporting every endeavour of the State Forestry Department to prohibit the entry of such insect foreigners into the coun-S try.