Illegal Australian immigrants dealt with
A detection of Australian subterranean termites (Coptotermes acinaciformis) at Richmond, Nelson in late January 2006 has resulted in MAF calling on the advice of Australian and other international expertise to assist in response actions.
Heather Pearson (BNZ) and Phil Dwyer
(Pestforce) installing a termite base
station in a house basement.
International advice was one of the key factors when termites were successfully eradicated from the North Island town of Otorohanga in May 2005. During the Otorohanga response, key linkages were established with a range of termite experts from Malaysia, the United States and Australia.
Subterranean termites are not established in New Zealand, but numerous incursions have been recorded from throughout New Zealand since the 1930s. Infestations have all arrived from Australia, via rail or tramway sleepers or in wooden utility poles. All finds have been able to be traced back to their original source.
Due to the high number of termite incursions in the past (circa 110), New Zealand border controls were enhanced in the 1970s. Controls, including compulsory fumigation, creosote of timber, and removal of all bark were put in place. Timber exports from Australia were prohibited unless these criteria had been met.
Termite management relationships with Australia have continued and when it comes to the latest management tools for response, there is no one better than the ‘termite source’ to destroy and kill the pest. In Australia termites have been estimated to cause up to A$910 million in damage, control and repair costs per annum. CSIRO data indicate that attack to individual wooden structures is as high as one-in-four throughout Australia, with Queensland having the highest recorded damage (Archicentre Limited Report, 2006).
The main assistance in New Zealand has been provided by the Sydney pest control company, Pestforce. Owner and general manager Shane Clarke is renowned throughout Australia for his knowledge and control of many termite species. Shane and his team are an integral part of the current Nelson response, providing both advice and on-the-ground assistance.
Additional advice has been provided by Dr Michael Lenz, CSIRO and Professor Nan-Yao Su, Florida University, United States, both world experts in the termite field. Professor Su’s advice is especially valued as he was one of the original creators of Sentricon, the bait system owned by Dow AgroScience that is being successfully used to eliminate the termites in Nelson.
Latest results in Nelson are encouraging with termites already being observed feeding on the active ingredient (Hexaflumron) in the bait stations. Based on the Otorohanga experience termite activity should now decline over the coming months.
MAF response leadership, assisted by local and international expertise, is proving a lethal combination to combat invading populations of termites. Leading scientists at Ensis (Forest Research), CSIRO and worldwide are all part of the current incursion response team. It is intended to maintain relationships with these groups to ensure New Zealand remains subterranean termite free now and in the future.
- Mark Ross, Senior Adviser, Plant Response Team, Biosecurity New Zealand, phone 04 894 0535, mark.ross@maf.govt.nz
Page last updated: 30 April 2008