Painted Apple Moth Population Plummets

For the first time, since large-scale painted apple moth trapping commenced in June 2001, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has trapped zero moths in one week during a summer month.

Last week’s positive result follows three months of very encouraging trapping results during the moth’s most active breeding season. In January 2002, 1,300 male moths were trapped, for the same period this year the number plummeted to just 30. Similarly, just 24 moths were trapped in February 2003, compared with 2,300 the previous year. In March, only nine moths were trapped, less than a tenth of the 996 caught last March.

While the number of trapped moths has been steadily decreasing, the number and geographical spread of monitoring traps has increased. In January last year there were approximately 700 traps in place. There are now more than 1,600 traps as far north as Dairy Flat, south as Horotiu and west as Huia. This more intense grid of traps improves the accuracy of trapping data in estimating the size of the residual painted apple moth population.

“We are thrilled” says Robert Isbister, General Manager for the Painted Apple Moth Programme. “The combination of aerial spraying, host tree removal and the release of sterile moths, is really taking its toll on the moth population. We are so grateful to all those Aucklanders who support the operation and put up with the inconvenience of the spraying programme. The trapping data is a great sign that we are well on our way to wiping out the pest. We will be working hard over the coming months to keep the population down and make sure every last moth is eradicated so that Aucklanders can look forward to well deserved sleep ins.”

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