EARWIGS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 65, 18 March 1931, Page 15

EARWIGS

FIGHTING THE PEST

PARASITES ON TRIAL

Most gardeners at this time of year make acquaintance, quite unwillingly, witn earwigs. In nearly all cases it; v the European species which they find infestin" their dahlias or doing other damage, and not one of the three native species. Of the latter, one is confined to the seashore and none are of economic importance It is the common little European chap, who is smaller than his native cousins, that, since his unwanted arrival in the Dominion in the early /nineties has become such a pest, especially to fn.itglOther' species of earwig frequently find thai «.o •'■"SU',,' . ?omp.r«ti..ly MB am ay aided the pests as exemplified in Crame4nce°itßrrirrtaF' in New Zealand the! E™an tSea arw,V has become thoroughly ; established, wherever it has found suitable environment. In fact, it has become such a pest that representation was made to the Cawthron Institute for steps to be taken to control the insect. As a result, in 1923 Dr Tillyard, who was chief enomologist at the time, commenced the importation of parasites for the control of earwigs; but though attempts to establish the parasites were carried on for several years, A ?° r s^% cess was met with; the. same Ai&^l occurred in other countries where parasitic control was attempted. When in North America last year, however, Dr. Miller found that a new and satisfactory technique, developed by Dr. W R. Thompson director of the parasite aboratory at Farnham Royal in -England, has been put into practice; this technique presented such possibilities that Dr. 'Miller secured further supplies of the parasites for New Zealand and attempts to establish the parasite in this country have been renewed at the Cawthron Institute. Organised effort is being made m Otago to control the earwig pest by poison. But au important control factor is to remove all accumlations of waste material, which acts as excellent shelter for the earwigs during the day, and from whence they emerge after dark to carry on their depredations. But it is practically useless for control to be attempted on one property alone in a closely-settled area; an organised and co-operative campaign is essential.