CONTROL OF GORSE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 19 August 1933, Page 5

CONTROL OF GORSE

A PARASITE DISCOVERED A possible means of preventing the spread of gor.se, which has already rendered much good land in New Zealand unworkable, is suggested by the results of researches by Dr. W. Maldwyn Davies in England, according to a note n a recent number of “Nature.” the well-known scientific, weekly published in London. A possible solution lies in the introduction of a weevil, Apion Ulicis, which has been found to destroy the fertility of the gorse plants. In July in England many gorse pods harbour this insect enemy which has just passed into llio pupal stage before emerging as the 1 weevil, Apion Ldicis. During this month the adults make their appearance; and, although they do littlo damage to the gorse bushes, the destruction caused in the larval stage within the pods seriously affects the fertility of the plants and their chances of spreading. Dr. Davies found, from investigation of pods gathered throughout tho length of Britain, that the number of pods infected varied from 0 per cent., which was rare, to 92 per cent., and that 50 per cent, and more was common. A considerable proportion of pods bad their entire contents destroyed bv tho larvae.

'Tin* point of this investigation was in far-off New Zealand, where Darwin had observed gciso plants n; IS3£, sue! when the ravages of the plant had been badly felt. There was a possibility that the introduction of such a parasite l might solve the problem of New Zealand’s unwanted gorse, as the introduction of the cochineal insects had been a solution of the problem of Australia’s prickly pear. Experiments bad shown that the Apion Ulicis was unlikely to attack any other leguminous plant I