| Eradication of the Painted Apple Moth from Auckland, New Zealand |
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| Investigators |
| Dr. Gerhard Gries, Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Dr. John Clearwater, Clearwater Research and Consulting, Auckland, New Zealand
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What is the Issue? |
| FOREIGN PEST INFESTATION |
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New Zealand has recently suffered a series of invasions from exotic pests. These invasions include forest defoliating moths of the lymantrid family. The white-spotted tussock moth was effectively eradicated in Auckland through use of pheromone lures which allowed the deployment of selective spraying.
The painted apple moth now poses an extreme threat to the trees of Auckland, especially Acadia spp., and Pinus radiata. Severe defoliation of the native Kowhai (Sophora spp.) has also been recorded. Researchers conducting this study aim to extract and identify the sex pheromone of the female painted apple moth, and to develop a synthetic pheromone lure to be used initially at an experimental site in Australia. Development of a successful lure will enable selective spraying for painted apple moth eradication in the threatened districts of Auckland.
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What is our goal? |
| PROTECTING THE FORESTS OF NEW ZEALAND
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Where we currently stand. |
| This two year study commenced in 2000. Researchers have secured a source of the moths. Samples of pheromone will be extracted from female painted apple moths and transferred to the Canadian laboratory along with male pupae. There, researchers will identify the pheromone combination attractive to males. The pheromone solution will be synthesized and field tests will be carried out in Australia to test the effectiveness of the lures. It is expected that the successful lures will facilitate the eradication of the threat to New Zealand's trees.
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You can help this project - find out how. |
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