Farm Forestry New Zealand
PESTS AND DISEASES OF FORESTRY IN NEW ZEALAND
Australian subterranean termites, update 2014
MPI Biosecurity Response Update, 6 August 2014.
Coptotermes acinaciformis is a highly destructive termite that attacks both living trees and timber in service.
Five incursions of this termite have been detected between 2006 and 2012.
It is likely that other Coptotermes acinaciformis colonies exist in New Zealand as a result of used railway sleepers imported from Australia in the 1990s and not treated adequately. MPI undertook a publicity campaign in 2013 and 2014, targeted at landscapers and gardeners to encourage the reporting of suspect signs of subterranean termites. There have been two new responses initiated since 2012 in Drury and Airport Oaks (Auckland).
An effective eradication programme, using bait stations and the termiticide hexaflumuron, exists to kill subterranean termite colonies. The bait stations are monitored until there is confidence the colony has been killed, at which time ‘elimination’ is declared. This can take several months to a year or more, depending on the size of the colony, disturbance of feeding activity and the time of year of detection. Post-elimination surveillance continues until there has been no termite activity detected for approximately five years, after which ‘eradication’ is officially declared.
Post-elimination surveillance consists of bait station monitoring at the known infested sites every three months and an annual delimiting survey. The delimiting survey consists of an inspection of all wooden structures, including buildings, trees, landscaping timber, and random inspections of ground that could be conducive to termite activity.
Eradication has been declared for the Richmond, Nelson 2006 incursion and the Coatesville, Auckland 2007 incursion.
Elimination has been declared in the Nelson 2009 incursion, the Pukekohe, south Auckland 2010 incursion, and the Point Wells 2012 incursion:
Ongoing responses are still occurring at Drury and Airport Oaks (Auckland).
NZFFA on facebook