WELL ESTABLISHED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 97, 20 January 1944, Page 4

WELL ESTABLISHED

Horntail Borer Parasite

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) NELSON, January 19.

“This is the first case in the’ history of entomology in which the parasite of a wood boring insect has 'been successfully established in a new country,” said Dr. Dajid Miller, chief entomologist at the Cawthron Institute, when referring to the establishment in New Zealand of a parasite (Ithyssa) for the horntail borer, which is responsible for extensive damage in pine forests. The parasite is operating effectively in the Moutere hills plantations and also at Hanmer, where it was established several years ago. This insect parasite which attacks the grub of the horntail borer was imported from England in 1929. 1 Its control of borer is important in view of the increasing use made of pinus insignis in the Dominion’s timber industry. The Cawthron Institute has received reports from all parts of New Zealand showing that the gorse seed weevil which was released by the institute had become thoroughly established and was giving effective control, in some cases up to 99 per cent. “The successful establishment of the gorse weevil and the horntail borer parasite rank among the outstanding successes in the biological control of pests ■in New Zealand,” said Dr. Miller.