Farm Forestry New Zealand
PESTS AND DISEASES OF FORESTRY IN NEW ZEALAND
Fall webworm response update
From From Biosecurity 60, June 2005.
Following the detection of a nest of fall webworm (FWW) larvae in Mount Wellington, Auckland, in March 2003, a surveillance trapping programme was established. No life stages were found during ground searches.
In February this year, however, two male FWW moths were trapped, followed by a third find at Easter near the Otahuhu Creek – about 4km away from the February finds.
On 5 April another moth was caught at the foot of Mt Wellington in the Tamaki-Panmure area.
The existing trapping grid has been extended to encompass all finds, and extensive ground searches have been completed following these recent catches. No further life stages or evidence of FWW have been found.
The FWW Technical Advisory Group says more information is required before further action can be recommended.
In the meantime, an updated vegetation control movement zone has been put in place in order to prevent the spread of the pest
(New Zealand Herald 16 April 2005).
Information on the 2003 incursion and follow-up activities can be found in the following editions of Biosecurity:
- Issue 43:5, 1 May 2003
- Issue 44:11, 15 June 2003
- Issue 46:16, 15 September 2003
- Issue 48:23, 15 December 2003
- Issue 52:16, 15 June 2004
www.biosecurity.govt.nz/publications/biosecurity-magazine
Anna Dunlop, Technical Support Officer, Eradication Programmes, Biosecurity New Zealand, phone 04 474 4215, anna.dunlop@maf.govt.nz
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