ENTOMOLOGICAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2006, 4 August 1892, Page 5

ENTOMOLOGICAL.

Starlings and the Coillin moth.

The writer has often observed very large flocks of starlings in the fiel is near where he lives, busy at work running quickly over the grass and picking up the insects. He has also observed them every year following the plough and devouring the white grubs, wireworms, and other insect enemies of the farmer ; but as a rule they have very seldom frequented the orchards. Very lately, however, they were discovered feeding upon the codlin moth larvio for the first time. The orchard is a rather large one, of very big old trees, and has for a great many years been badly infected with the codlin moth. The writer is very fond of rambling amongst the trees and studying the habits of the codlin moth, and for some time he has observed that several of the .bands round the trees have been displaced and torn, and a great many of the larvaa taken away in a manner not easy to account for, until some days ago he perceived that there was one of the large flocks of starlings in the orchard, and that they were workinguponthebands. Threeorfour of the birds would go to one baud (round trees some 4ft or sft iv circumference). They would run round it much in the style of woodpeckers, and poke their bills either upwards or downwards under the band, evidently eating something they obtained there. Every now and again one or two of the birds would alight on the ground and pick up a codlin moth larva or two that had been dropped. The bands were old rotteu pieces of sacking, secured with one single nail — nob driven in hard — and they would tear and pull at them until iv most cases either the band burst or the nail was pulled out, then the birds would set to work and clear all the larvte out of it, pick them out of crevicee in the bark that had been covered with the sacking — a favourite hiding place of theirs — and wind up by running quickly round the tree and picking up all that had been shaken on to the ground. A

great many parties' of starlings were carefully watched at this work, and when tbe trees and bands were examined after they had leffc them not a codlin m'otht larva was to be foiind, although manj of the bands were known tff have contained hundreds of the pest. Some time ago one of our most experienced entomologists gave it as his opinion that a time would como when both predacious insects aud birds would discover that " codlin moth larvte were good to eat," and by these means the pest, like many others, would be reduced to a minimum. It would appear that these starlings have made the anticipated discovery, and no doubt have benefited tho orchard alluded to. The bands certainly would easily have been cleared by the orchardist,' but now that these birds have feasted upon the larvaa in the bands there is very little doubt that they will soon learn to search for them under the scales of the bark and on the ground and in other places of retreat, and although it may be long before they find a way to extract them from the apple, even that may eventuate, as their longish sharp beaks would enable them to do so to a great extent. The writer was pleased to see that they ran up and round the stems of the trees with perfect ease, just as woodpeckers would do. Were the downy woodpecker, which extracts the codlin moth larva with its tongue from tho interior of tho appley and a few more useful birds aud reptiles brought here to assist our new allies, there would be less talk of tho necessity of severe legislation with all the fines and punishments proposed to crush the fruit-grow-ing industry in the bud< Proposed Codlin Moth Acts for this

Session.

The codlin moth was brought to this colony 20 years ago, very much against the wishes of fruit-growers, and it has been allowed to increase all that time, becatisc-V although all the owners of infected orchards would gladly have seen a reasonable and workable bill brought in, till those hitherto proposed have been only calculated to crush the already unfortunate section of the orchardists, and not to help them. Now there appears to be a deter minatioK on the part of those who are as yet free from the pest to have such measures resorted to as will at all events get rid of the orchards and orchardists in infected districts, if not of the pest ; and they do not seem to consider that it will be their own turn by-and-bye, for there can be little doubt the insect will contintie to spread,' whatever steps may be taken to prevent it; It ia iringular to observe how self-interest and self-preser-vation has blinded many of these people to any sense of common justice. We find bodies of intelligent men actually advocating that all fruit-growers in infected districts (their own, of course, being clean) should in the first place be compelled to obey the dictum of a codlin moth inspector, and, at the same time, if the pest is not got rid of in a marvellously (an impossible) short time, these unfortunate victims are to be severely Bned, fines doubled, and so on, in point of fact under such circumstances it would be the fault of the inspector and his unavailing remedies, and the orchardist would actually be fined because the inspector did not know how to cure the pest ! And to make the arrangement complete, some very clever person proposes to pay the inspector the fines instead of salary, in which case it would be to his" intereet not to remedy the evil. As if to assist in this view, most of those who write upon this subject (without having a thorough knowledge of if), recommend the compulsory use of "remedies" which have been found useless, and of such fines as L 5, LlO and upwards for every time a codlin moth larva is found in an apple or an orchard.

The fact is that people are making a great mistake in looking upon those unfortunate orchardists or districts which are infected as criminals deserving of severe punishment, and whose property is to be destroyed without either mercy or compensation. The true state of the case is that the colony has committed an error in allowing infected fruit to be imported, in order to get apples a little cheaper, and another even worse error, iv not tackling the evil sooner, when it could more easily have been dealt with i and what we should do now is 6imply to compel all fruit-grower's to use and persevere in the use of those simple remedies which tho experience of other countries and of pfoperly qualified entomologists have proved alone to be effectual. They are only three in number, and they are not difficult of application. (1) There is the band round the tree, to be examined every seven days.

(2) Picking up and destroying fallen apples, and

(3) Spraying with Paris green. We have now got over a much more serious evil in the 3heep scab, although it took many years and much trouble to do it. Now we have the minor evil of the codlin moth, and if these three remedies are insisted upon, that difficulty will also be got over without taking anything like so long a time, or costing so much money. But to keep on harassing and crippling the fruitgrower with fines, &c, all the time he is doing his level best, simply because no man living can go any quicker, and no other man (inspector included) can 6how him how, is neither common sense nor common justice, and even the plea of self-protection, which is set up by the uninfested districts cannot justify or explain it. By all means compel owners of infected orchards to use and persevere in these proper remedies to cure them, and fine them if they neglect to do so. They are very willing that it should be so. But do not five them simply because they have codlin moth larvae in the orchard. That may drive them to cut down valuable trees or land them in gaol, bufc it will neither drive the pest from New Zealand nor push the industry of fruit-growing into a position of national importance, although it may prove a very temporary advantage to others who have apples to sell.

Teachings in Entomology.

A great many people of both sexes are fond of teaching others things which they do not understand themselves. Perhaps that is pretty well known already ; but it is only of late that the better and fairer sex has taken to give lessons upon entomology, and especially on the natural history of the codlin moth. It may be that some of the children of Eve think they should understand all about the apple, but more probably they wish to show themselves worthy of the near prospect of obtaining very tardy justice in the matter of the franchise. Anyway, a fair lady called last fruit season upon an orchardist and asked to see over his trees. "Ah, I perceive," s.iid she, " that your orchard is infested with that horrid codlin moth ; probably you were not aware of it ? " (about 80 per cent of the apples were riddled) — "well it is lucky I came, for I can tell you all about it. You see these maggots stay in the ground all the winter, ami they are just now come out of it and are going on to the trees. You must be quick and destroy them, or they will lay their eggs on the apples." " How, madam, is that to bo done ? " " Oh, the best plan is to pick off all the apples at once, and then they will all die of hunger." " I see madam that you thoroughly understand the matter." " Well, yes," replied the lady, " only I can't see why these stupid men. call these maggots, moths, can you ?" Entomologist.

iaIPIiOVEMEiNTS ON BUNS.

Tho following correspondence with reference to Station Peak has passed between the Land Office in Christchurch and Mr A. C. Begg, general manager for Messrs Robert Campbell and Sons (Limited) :—: —

Dunedin, April 5, 1892. The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Ohristchurch. Sir, — On the land recently occupied by this company at Station Peak there is a large amount of fencing which we erected and for which we have recovered no compensation, although the land has been leased to others. The approximate quantity of fencing, estimating boundary fences at one-half their length is a follows :— Run 36,388, 272J chains ; run 36,38!), 20 chains ; ruO 38,390, 215 chains ; run 36,391, 5 chains ; run 36,392, 2224 chains ; run 36,393, 202* chains ; run 36,394, 18 chains ; run 36,395, 105 chains ;— total, 1060£ chains. This at 10a a chain is worth L 530 ss. Kindly say how we are to proceed in this matter. It is manifestly unjust that wo should be deprived of our property, Without any possibility of protecting ourselves. — I am, air, your obedient servant

(Signed) Alex. C. Bkckj. General Manager, Robert Campbell and Sous (Limited).

Christchurch, April 7, 1892. A. C. Begg, Esq., General Manager JR. Campbell and Sons (Limited), Dunedin. I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the sth inst., to which, pending definite instructions being received from Wellington, I am unable to give a final reply. I will communicate further whh you as soon as possible. (Signed) Charles B. Shanks (For Commissioner of Crown Lands).

Dunedin, June 24, 1892. The_ Commissioner of Crown Lands, Christchurch. Sir, — Referring 1 to my letter to you of sth April, artd yoxtr reply of 7th April, I am yet without your pfum'ised reply to my application for coniponsation for fencing erected *>y this company on tho runs at Station Peak lately leased to other tenants by Government. I shall be obliged by your immediate attention tothiß matter.— l am, &c, (Signed) Alex. C. Begg.

Christchurch, June 24, 1892. A. C. Begg, Elsrj., General Manager R. Campbell and Sons (Limited), Dunedin. Fencing on Runs Nos. 52, 53, and 54. Sir, — Adverting to your letter of sth April last, I am now directed by the Land Board to inform you that the board has no objection to your either removing your fences on the above runs, or arranging with the present occupiers for their disposal.

I have been unable to communicate with you on this subject before, owing to tho necessity for obtaining the advice and sanction of the head office.

(Signed) Ch arles B. Shanks (For Commissioner of Crown Lands).

Dunedin, June 27, 1892. The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Christchurch. Sir, — Referring to your letter of 24th inst. (S. 1274-123), in which you say the board "has no objection" to our removing our fences on runs s2, 53, and 54, will you please say whether your board "authorises" me to remove these fences, because although the board " may have no objection" to this, yet the tenants may object, and probably will do so. Kindly send me authority to remove these fences. — I am, &c, (Signed) Alex. C. Ergo, General Manager Robert Campbell and Sons (Limited).

Christchurch, July 8, 1892. Alex. C. Bcgg, Esji,, Manager for R. Campbell and Sons (Limited), Dunedin. Fencing on Runs No. 52, 53, and si. Your letter of the 27th wit. requesting "authority" to remove the fencing on runs No. 52, 53, and 54, Station Peak, now held as small grazing runs, has been laid before the Land Board, which directed me to advise you that the board is of opinion that its previous decision, which was conveyed to you in my memo, of the 24th ult., sufficiently meets the circumstances of the case. (Signed) J. W. Marchant, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

The Canterbury Fruitgrowers' Association have decided to make inquiries with a view to forming a company for making jam, canning fruit, and exporting raw fruit.