GRASS GRUB

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20896, 27 November 1937, Page 4

GRASS GRUB

PEST TO BE BURNT I OUT CONFERENCE MOOTED Approval of the lighting of fires as a means of exterminating grass grub moths, as suggested recently by Mr H. B. S. Johnstone, was expressed by the Director-General of Agriculture (Mr A. H. Cockayne} in a letter received by the committee of the Timaru A. and P. Association yesterday. At a previous meeting, Mr Johnstone advocated the lighting of fires from the Rangitata to the Waitaki rivers to destroy the pest and a letter embodying his suggestions was forwarded to the Department of Agriculture. The Director-General wrote that the Department fully realised how serious the ravages of grass grub were this year, and was very concerned with the depredations which this pest was effecting on pasture lands. The points brought out by Mr Johnstone were of real moment and of considerable practical value, and it was the Department’s opinion that at the present time the only feasible steps which could be taken to lessen the infestation of grass areas during the coming season would be concerted action on the part of the farmers in lighting fires at night with a view to destroying the beetles and moths of the grubs and thus preventing a recurrence of the intensity of egg-1 laying, which obviously took place last ; year. So far there was no control measure which could be confidently recommended on a field scale for the control of the grass grub, although there were methods whereby it could be effectivelj’ dealt with on small areas. It naturally would be of Immense value to the Dominion if some method of biological control could be introduced, and the Department was making the fullest investigation into the possibility of some parasite being introduced into the Dominion which would effectively control either of the two grubs which were causing the damage. On Sound Lines

The Departmental officers In Canterbury would be only too willing to co-operate with the Association and any kindred bodies in any organised fire work which might lead to a lessening of the pest, and the Association would be on very sound lines in advocating the widespread burning of fires at night with a view to attracting the adult insects of the grubs to the flames, in which undoubtedly countless thousands would be destroyed, said Mr Cockayne. At present the moths of the porina caterpillar were emerging from the ground and an opportune time to light fires would be now. The emergence of the beetles took place generally at a later date, but as soon as they were noticed to be emerging, and that varied from season to season, then w'ould be an appropriate time to organise further fires. If Canterbury’ farmers in the main consistently saved their straw burning and gorse clipping burning until the time of the emergence of the moths and beetles, it would materially reduce the damage done by the insects. Heavy tramping by cattle beasts and heavy rolling, although claimed by some to do good, had apparently little or no effect unless the ground was particularly soft. The Government was going very fully into the question of the possibilities of biological control, and the Association could rest assured that every available step would be taken to find sortie ways and means of effectively controlling what undoubtedly was one of the worst pests to graziers in the Dominion

Mr Johnstone expressed appreciation of the attitude taken up by the Director-General, but said that it was too late to do anything this year. He suggested an organised campaign for next year. Two representatives of aU the A. and P. Associations and Farmers’ Unions in South Canterbury should be called together to a conference to discuss the campaign and a canvass of farmers could be made to request them to refrain from burning their straw and rubbish until a time to be decided by the conference, when the moths and beetles were beginning to take flight. Then fires could be lighted to an organised schedule in each part of the district and the pest destroyed. A suggestion that, instead of lighting fires, electric lights should be placed in various places and the moths attracted by fly catchers, was made by Mr W. H. Orbell. who questioned the feasibility, of saving farm rubbish through the spring. It was decided to write to all the bodies named by Mr Johnstone, asking them to send representatives to a conference.