Farm Forestry New ZealandJune, 2018
Protecting our Eucalyptus trees
May 2018. Scion are undertaking community pre-consultation on a proposed biological control of the Eucalyptus tortoise beetle.
Eucalyptus plantations are a recognisable part of New Zealand’s diversified forestry industry. They provide pulp and timber, with additional benefits in farm forestry, honey production, firewood and carbon sequestration. Eucalypts are also widely used as amenity trees in urban areas.
The eucalyptus tortoise beetle has been a pest of eucalypts in New Zealand for over 100 years. It causes significant damage to shining gum (Eucalyptus nitens) as well as other gums such as the coastal grey box (Eucalyptus bosistoana), that hold potential for producing ground durable wood.
The Paropsis biocontrol preconsultation document is available to download here »
Laboratory tests to determine if an Australian wasp, Eadya daenerys, is suitable for biological control of the Eucalyptus tortoise beetle, Paropsis charybdis
Summary: We conducted extensive laboratory host-range tests with female Eadya daenerys against the target pest Paropsis charybdis and also against nine other closely-related beetle species found in New Zealand. These allow us to predict how the Australian parasitoid might behave in New Zealand, and the possible consequences and potential risks it poses to other non-target beetle species.
The technical note (May 2018) is available to download here »
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