DESTRUCTION OF MOTHS

Southland Times, Issue 23652, 29 October 1938, Page 6

DESTRUCTION OF MOTHS

FIRES TO BE LIT AT NIGHT GRASS GRUB IN FLIGHT The wholesale lighting of fires on farms at night to attract and destroy the porina moth which is at present almost a plague in Southland was advocated at the meeting of the Southland provincial executive of the Farmers Union yesterday, Mr W. R. Harris said that the moth was flying at present. The caterpillar of the moth was one of the worst forms of grass grub in Southland. The organized lighting of fires at night throughout the province was considered by Mr A Stuart, fields instructor of the Department of. Agriculture, to be effective in destroying the moths. In the Hokonui district one farmer had set up a flame , thrower at night and had caught and destroyed millions of the moths. It was not known yet whether the moths bred once or twice a year. In the north they bred twice in a year. The eggs of the moths flying at present would be in the grub stage about March and they would do tremendous damage to the pastures. The dry weather during the last year had led to an enormous increase in the numbers of the moths. They were most prevalent in the Woodlands, Morton Mains, Northope, Hokonui, Wrey’s Bush, Ermedale, Fairfax and Pukerau districts. A good deal of gorse which had been cut was lying about at present, said Mr Harris, and if farmers would bum this at night it would have a very beneficial effect in attracting and destroying the moths in big numbers. Mr G. A.. Hamilton suggested that children should be encouraged to collect and kill the moths. They could be offered a small payment and •..’hila it would not make much difference to the funds of the union it would make c great difference to the pastures of the province. Mr D. McDonald contended that it was the responsibility of each farmer to do everything possible to destroy the pest and not to rely on children to do the work. It was decided to request farmers to light fires at night to destroy the moths.