SANDFLY PEST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18619, 15 July 1930, Page 16

SANDFLY PEST

BREEDING HABITS. A disco very which may go a long way toward controlling the sandfly pest in New Zealand was made by Professor E. Peicival. cf Canterbury College, during a "ecent tour of the Southern Lakes. Professor Percival found the upper leaches of the Waiau reiver, wmch drains three of the lakes, rich in animal and vegetable I fe. A closer inspection of the bed revealed something which appeared like a slimy growth on the bottom of the stones. These proved to be the eggs of sandflys. . “There were myriads of them, said the professor. “Of course it has been known for a long time w'here sandflier, breed, but I don’t think anyone in New Zealand lias come across such an enormous number of as I saw. Over hundreds cf square j'ards fair-sized stones on the bed of the river were coated on their under surface with these eggs.” The professor considers this is a very interesting scientific discovery with a practical ' alue. fjr it means that any attempt to control the sandfly may be directed tow'ard their breed: *' ,a nlaces. Sperking of control. Professor Percival said that the methods used against the mosquito would not succeed against the sandfly. The practice of pouring kerosene on the surface of water would not. because the kerosene w r ould not stay. A small fish, some of which were being imported into New Zealand, was found to be fairly effective against the mosquito. but these would not account for many of the sandflies. The difficulty was that sandflies bred in all kinds of places, some of which were not accessible to man. The many rivulets and cascades to be found in the mountain country might well act as breeding grounds for them* and it was difficult to control them in all these various places. “Where running water is there also may be found the sandfly.” added the professor, but if it was found that they bred in colonies like the large one he had found, then something might be done to destroy them there . Mr A. L. Tonnoir. of the staff of the Cawthron Institute at Nelson, had made sandflies and their breedings a subject of research. He had found that where a certain species of dragon fly was common they destroyed the larvae of sandflies. This fly. a native of Australia, was being imported into New Zealand, but the professor was doubtful if it would be equal to the task of combating the sandfly. For one thing, he did not believe that it would spread quickly to all the different places frequented by the sandfly.