SURPRISE FOR POSTMAN

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1931, Page 5

SURPRISE FOR POSTMAN

CINNABAR MOTH EGGS HATCH.

PARCEL AT: DARGAVILLE.

There was a peculiar incident at the Dargaville post office this week. The Cawtliron Institute forwarded a package of cinnabar moths’ eggs to the borough council, for liberation in the water catchment area, where ragwort is prevalent. The institute gave instructions that the parcel was to be taken delivery of at once, aS it was expected that the eggs would hatch quickly. The mail man who opened the mail bag on Tuesday night was surprised to discover a parcel from which were crawling myriads of tiny, creatures like ants. He immediately rang up the acting town clerk to take delivery of the council's newly acquired live gtock.

To save further loss, the town clerk immediately doubly wrapped the receptacle containing the eggs, but next morning the insects were still crawling from the package, and a council employee was immediately despatched to liberate them.

This is the first consignment of cinnabar eggs to reach the district, and it will bo interesting to see how they attack the ragwort area, which is now being successfully treated with sodium chlorate. The moths, of course, were put on a different area from that now being 'treated with chlorate.