GUM TREE PEST

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 81, 5 April 1923, Page 8

GUM TREE PEST

HOW IT IS BEING COMBATTED

THE USEFUL LADYBIRD.

The manner in which the gum tree blight, that has been making its presence felt at .Marton, Greatford, and in the districts surrounding Bulls, is being combatted by the Government, was outlined to-day, by Mr. David Miller, Dominion Entomologist, while in conversation with a "Post" reporter.

The blight, according to Mr. Miller, is a scale insect which made its appearance for the first time in the North Island about eighteen months ago. During the past twenty years,'however, it has done considerable damage to trees in the South.

It originally came from Australia, and when jt was found that the scale was becoming such a pest, steps were immediately taken to secure from the Commonwealth large consignments of.ladybird beetles, which are the natural enemies of this parasite. The beetles wer» released at various places in the South Island and have done very good work in checking tiie ravages of the scale. Shortly after this, the blight appeared on the gum trees in the North, and Mr. Miller immediately secured a large number of insects from the biological laboratory whare they were being bred, and released them at Marton and Greatford. This was during last year, and Mr. Miller states that he has just returned from the districts, where he found that the ladybird was doing excellent work, and he is optimistic that the pest will soon be well under control by next spring, during which season it usually operates very busily. . The gum trees on the Westhoe estate, near Greatford, had suffered so much from the blight, that they gave the appearance of being dead, but a close examination now shows that young shoot 3 are growing. These shoots are being attacked by the scale, but the ladybird, nevertheless, is proving very successful in keeping the numbers down. Bluegum trees, which are being attacked by a tiny wasp, called the gall chalcid, are very susceptible to the attentions of the scale, and they quickly succumb to its ravages. ' By next spring, however, when more ladybird beetles will be released, it is anticipated that the scale- pest will be well under control. -■ ■