INSECT DESTROYERS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2293, 5 January 1900, Page 2

INSECT DESTROYERS.

v s. s. Nokia the department of Ag'': -llture have received further consigi nts of the ladybird beet''' frogsfpd nU%-pifc-lt wlMi areintend'f ( cope afect peats of th bo*°lony. Th&£jadybirds are Being ±nt to Hawke's Bay, and Auckland tf of dntricts: and the tl'ee frogs to land dißn ks. The peewee, also khown as the magpie-lark and mudlark, is found - aU over Australia, living usually or. near streams of fresh water. The breeding months are September to December. The young are fed entirely on insects and considerable quantitiesofsmallsnails. It isin appearance very muph like a small magpie and the skill with which it hunts for insects iis marvellous. The t * or climbing frog is' similiar to the Ordinary green frog, but its toes are rovided with suckers, which enable iv Vclimb trees and houses in search of insects. Settlers are requested \>y the Department to assist in protecting these new importations, so that they may not only carry out the useful purpose for which they lisue been procured, but that they may increase and multiply and be in time distributed to other parts of the colony. In the report of the department in 1898, however, Mr T.W. Kirk, the Government Biologist,says:— " I desire to reiterate the warning I gave some years ago, viz; that settlers must regard these "friendly" creatures only as aids, and take care that- the principal part of the work of controlling harmful insects is 'performed by themselves. The so-called natural enemies, friendly birds and insects, will, when pests are once brought within reasonable limits, continue the good work and aid in keeping them in check -There are very few natural enemies that will do all the work for us."