TIMBER PESTS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 28, 2 August 1923, Page 8

TIMBER PESTS

ENTOMOLOGIST'S WARNING.

Some interesting remarks were made at the conference of the Farmers' Union during the discussion oE a remit referring to ■ timber borers. Mr. David Miller, Government Entomologist, said that'the problem of tho introduction of insects likely to be destructive to. timbers in New Zealand was a very serious one calling for urgent attention, owing to the unrestricted importation of timber frequently infested with some of the destructive types of insects. If something was not done to restrict such pests entering New Zealand, their efforts to aftorest the country would be in vain, and a match might as well- be set to many valuable plantations already laid out. Lhere -was sufficient evidence to back up this attitude. Any examination of practically any shipment of timber in the rough would reveal not only numerous beetle grubs in the bark and sap wood, but also the ege masses of these and other insects. A very good illustration of the danger was the infestation "of the eum-treo scale, which was now doing such extensive damage to the eucalyptus plantations of the North- Island. This insect reached New Zealand from Australia on. the bark of imported eucalyptus, and was now one of the most extensive pests m New Zealand, although good results were being obtained by 'the liberation of the lady bird beetle, which destroys the scale. Borers infesting dried timbers entered New Zealand in the wood of packing cases, and in finished products such as wheel spokes, furniture, etc. The chances of insects being introduced in the sap of imported poles would be lessened, said Mr. Miller, if the sao wood were removed before shipment to' this country. If this was not practicable, immersing the limber in sea water for a period would effectually kill infesting larvae.