Painted apple moth aerial operations scaled down

There will be a staged reduction of the number of areas targeted for aerial operations as part of painted apple moth eradication programme in western Auckland during the next few months, the Director of the Painted Apple Moth project Ian Gear said today.

There are currently five areas being treated:

The first areas to be removed from the aerial treatment schedule will be Motions/Meola Creek and Hobsonville. There are no further aerial treatments scheduled for these sites.

Waikumete and Riverpark will be removed from the schedule following the aerial operations planned for 9 March 2004.

Ranui/Swanson will be removed from the schedule following the aerial operations planned for 11 May 2004.

All scheduled aerial operations dates are subject to suitable weather conditions.

Mr Gear said that while there had been a single male moth find in Mount Eden, follow up surveys had not discovered further signs of any other moths in that area.

“The Science and Technical Advisory Group has recommended that MAF could begin reducing aerial treatments. Results to date support this recommendation.

“We are confident that we are winning the battle against the moth but we can’t afford to take any chances. The reduction will be on a case-by-case basis. The discovery of any remnant moth colonies may trigger aerial operations.”

Mr Gear stressed “The vegetation control zone, ground treatments, the trapping programme and other activities remain in place.

“We are aware of the inconvenience aerial operations cause and are grateful for the ongoing support from the community.

“Notification of the aerial operation dates and areas will be by way of newspaper advertisements. This information will also be available through the painted apple moth web site and 0800 number,” Ian Gear said.

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