Farm Forestry New Zealand
PESTS AND DISEASES OF FORESTRY IN NEW ZEALAND
New mite for potential biocontrol for european wasps
Scion is the leading provider of forest-related knowledge in New Zealand
Formerly known as the Forest Research Institute, Scion has been a leader in research relating to forest health for over 50 years. The Rotorua-based Crown Research Institute continues to provide science that will protect all forests from damage caused by insect pests, pathogens and weeds. The information presented below arises from these research activities.
From Forest Health News 249, 2014.
Two species of European wasps, Vespula germanica and V. vulgaris, have now become widespread in New Zealand and are significant environmental and economic pests. With support from the Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF), Ronny Groenteman and researchers from Landcare Research have started to explore the potential of a new mite recently discovered in wasp nests as a sustainable biological control solution. Early findings are encouraging; higher mite densities were found associated with declining wasp colonies. However, it is unclear why the mite is not already providing biological control. So the first step of the project is to determine if the mite is the actual cause of nest collapse or just a by-product of that decline. The research project will investigate if healthy wasp populations can maintain low mite densities in their nests by mutual grooming. It is also recognized that mites are poor dispersers on their own, and it is unclear if the mite is a recent introduction and has not had time to spread, or if it has been here a long time but has failed to disperse. If the latter is correct, the research project would develop dedicated methods to assist mite spread and establishment.
Nicolas Meurisse
http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/about/news/media- releases/wasp-biocontrol-project-set-to-begin
This information is intended for general interest only. It is not intended to be a substitute for specific specialist advice on any matter and should not be relied on for that purpose. Scion will not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or exemplary damages, loss of profits, or any other intangible losses that result from using the information provided on this site.
(Scion is the trading name of the New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited.)
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