Farm Forestry New Zealand
PESTS AND DISEASES OF FORESTRY IN NEW ZEALAND
Eradication of Paropsisterna beata
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 264, February 2016.
Paropsisterna beata, an Australian eucalyptus leaf beetle, was detected on a small woodlot of large (20-30m tall) Eucalyptus nitens in Upper Hutt, Wellington in 2012 (Forest Health News 233). Although a number of eucalyptus leaf beetles are present in New Zealand, including Paropsis charybdis, Trachymela sloanei, and Trachymela catenata, a cost benefit analysis carried out by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) estimated significant economic losses to the forest industry could result if this additional pest were allowed to establish and reduce wood pulp production. The eradication campaign began in February 2013 with a delimiting survey by either felling, climbing or inspecting from the ground, trees within a radius of up to 3 km from the first find. A further seven surveys within the central zone used other methods, including bark inspection to look for overwintering adults, sticky bands on the stem and light traps. Treatments first involved broadcast applications of the synthetic pyrethroid alphacypermethrin by helicopter (Yamoah et al 2016). Scion then developed a new spot-spraying technique using just two nozzles mounted on one side of the helicopter boom to enable applications to be targeted into the individual crowns of large trees. In addition, ground sprays of bifenthrin (Talstar) targeted the stems and leaf litter layer where adults and larvae may have been resting. MPI have now declared this eradication successful, with no beetles found since October 2013. This is great news for Eucalyptus growers throughout New Zealand.
Reference. Yamoah et al. 2016. Eradication of Paropsisterna beata (Newman) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in a semi-rural suburb in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science 46:5. Available online: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186%2Fs40490-016-0061-3
Toni Withers
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.)
NZFFA on facebook