Farm Forestry New Zealand
PESTS AND DISEASES OF FORESTRY IN NEW ZEALAND
Dampwood termites - Lyttelton, Kaipara and Auckland
from MAF BNZ Report to Forest Biosecurity Consultative Committee, July 31 2008.
- Colonies of the Australian dampwood termite Porotermes adamsoni are known at three locations in New Zealand: Lyttelton (Canterbury), Kaipara (Northland) and Auckland. The source of the infestations is likely to be historically-imported timber such as railway sleepers and utility poles.
- P. adamsoni attacks dead wood and living trees (principally eucalypts, but also other species including Pinus radiata). It is considered a forest pest in southern New South Wales and Victoria. It is not a serious pest of houses in Australia, but may attack house timbers where decay allows access.
- Lyttelton infestation: This is a long-standing infestation at Lyttelton wharf, detected in 1963. The wharf was constructed of Australian hardwood timber imported in the 1950s. Because of inaccessibility of the wharf timbers, eradication has not been considered feasible. However, the termites are considered contained within the wharf area, and are managed by visual inspections when wharf maintenance is carried out and the removal and destruction of infested timber as it is found. MAFBNZ is assessing the need for a more proactive surveillance programme.
- Kaipara infestation: Detected February 2007 when an alate (winged reproductive) was found in a spider web at a private residence in Kaipara Flats. Surveillance at the time did not locate the colony.
- Auckland infestation: Detected February 2008 when several alates were caught in a private residence in Remuera.
- At both Kaipara and Auckland the alates were caught close to railway lines where sleepers and other structures made from imported Australian timber are present.
- Surveillance undertaken at the Kaipara and Auckland sites during February and March 2008 detected alates but failed to locate the colonies.
- MAF Biosecurity New Zealand is about to contract:
- a risk analysis of the introduction pathway for Australian termites,
- an impact assessment for P. adamsoni in New Zealand and
- an assessment of surveillance and organism management options for P. adamsoni to provide information to assist the development of an overarching strategy to deal with the currently known and any future incursions of this termite.
Bruce Philip
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