TO CHECK HORNTAIL BORER

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 13 October 1932, Page 5

TO CHECK HORNTAIL BORER

PEST IN PINE TREES. EXPERIMENT WITH PARASITE, (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NELSON, Oct. 12. During the last few years the attention of those interested in the commercial production of .pine trees has been drawn to the activities of the steel bine horntail borer, which is now well established in the Dominion. Though it does not damage vigorous trees, it is much too common to be regarded as of minor importance. A parasite of the borer being known to occur in England, Dr. D. Miller, director of the entomological department at the Cawtliron Institute, arranged with the director of the Farnham Royal Parasite Laboratory for the parasite to be studied and supplies sent to New Zealand. This was a quite new departure in biological control in that it was the first attempt made to transport the parasite of a wood boring insect from one country to another and establish it in new environment. Several consignments of the parasite were sent to the Cawtliron Institute, where work was being carried out as one of the major operations. Though many of the parasites perished before reaching maturity, a considerable number survived, and many were liberated among borerinfested trees near Blenheim, Hamner and Moutere, while others were retained at the Cawtliron Institute.

That there was some possibility of the paraeite’s succeeding in this country was shown by the activities of the in locating the position of its victims in infested trees prior to piercing the bark and laying its eggs on the boring grubs. However, whether this had been successfully accomplished or not could not be practicably ascertained, parasites and borer being concealed within the timber. In consequence a careful watch was kept for the emergence of adult parasites from trees in which parasites were known to have laid their eggs. During the last week or two these emergencies have been taking place in the insectory at the Cawtliron Institute, and there is every reason to expect that the same thing is taking place in the plantation iT at Blenheim, Hanmer and Moutere. , . „ , The appearance of this first generation of the parasite to be reared in Neaw Zealand is one of the most important developments in insect pest control during the year and gives great promise of the successful establishlishment of the parasite and the subjection of the horntail borei in the Dominion.