FOE TO THE “BIDIBIDI.”

Wairarapa Age, 6 January 1926, Page 3

FOE TO THE “BIDIBIDI.”

INSECT ATTACKER OF BOOTS. ERADICATION POSSIBLE. Agriculturists, and particularly woolgrowers, will be interested in some investigations made recently by the Department of Agriculture which seem to point to the discovery of a natural enemy of that troublesome weed, bidibidi. The presence of this vegetable pest in large quantities on sheep funs is well-known to reduce greatly the selling value of the wool. Recently the department received a report from Mr ,W. H. Montgomery, of Little" River, to the effect that bidibidi was disappearing on certain hillsides in the district, and particularly in the Puaha Valley. Mr F. E. Ward, instructor in agriculture, investigated the matter, and was told by *Mr J. McGowan that 6n certain places the bidibidi had blackened and had almost disappeared, while in other places it was still flourishing. Mr Ward found that remnants of. the plant in the localities where they had blackened still remained/and at the roots of these remnants he discovered several forms of insect life. Specimens of these were forwardecl to the Government mycologist at Wellington, who reported that of these insects a crane fly larva was most likely to have been responsible for the condition of trtb plants. The-result of these'investigations opens up the. possibility of the Introduction of this natural enemy in districts "badly invested with bidibidi, and the ultimate extermination of the weed.