OPOTIKI DAMAGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22320, 3 May 1947, Page 8

OPOTIKI DAMAGE

AUSTRALIAN GRUB j DEPARTMENT’S ACTION ACTIVITIES OF FLY The action being taken by Govern-, moot departments and further reports concerning the activities of the Australian maize grub _ were read to ; members ot the Gisborne Maize- i Growers' Association at the annual meeting on Thursday evening. “The maize grub, which does considerable damage to pastures in the Opotiki district, is receiving the attention of the entomology division of this department working in association with the fields division of the Department of Agriculture." states a letter from the Plant Research Bureau of the Department of Scientific 3nd Industrial Research. “Recently a visit was paid by Dr. D. Miller, director of the entomology division. to the Opotiki district and a thorough fcxaminat-ion of infested fields was made and samples of insects collected for investigation at divisional headquarters. At an early date you may expect a communication from Dr. Miller giving, particulars of the action which it is proposed to take towards ascertaining methods of control of this serious pest.” Samples of the female grub fly. the larger with an orange colour between the eyes, and the male fly, without the distinctive colouring, were received from Mr. J. D. Clark, Opotiki. Finding of Female Fly “I was unable to recognise and find this fly until recently when it was reported in three separate places, ’ wrote Mr. Clark concerning the female of the species. “Since then I have caught hundreds among tall, rank, overgrown paspalum or flying about a foot high over paspalum lawns. This is evidently the time it hatches out. The flies in flight can be recognised yards away. “The females are very sluggish in flight and easily caught in the fingers. The males are more active and live longer, up to about 36 hours. All of the females I have caught die within a few hours. One female I observed under glass laid about 250 eggs one millimetre long and l/3rd of a millimetre wide at the centre and tapered at both ends. “The eggs were whitish, translucent and of a dull pearly colour. It was about an hour laying those eggs and it afterwards died. The iemales may die after laying their eggs, but I cannot say definitely that they do.” Reporting on the activities of a female fly kept under observation under glass on a lawn. Mr. Clark said it flew about for a minute or two and then “wriggled herself backwards down among the roots and dead grass leaves in a small depression slightly below ground level. Only the two eyes and the orange band were showing,” Mr. Clark said. ‘She remained in this position for 13 minutes and then crawled out and flew around the jar again. She died soon afterwards It looks as though- the female lays her eggs in the ground among the roots of the grasses. I have found small grubs within an inch of the surface and among the roots and none deeper down rs we usually find them.”