Devastating moth pest found at Port of Nelson

1.00pm

Biosecurity authorities have averted a potentially devastating incursion of a pest moth at the Port of Nelson.

Quarantine officers inspecting a four-wheel-drive vehicle from Japan found suspected gypsy moth eggs on a spare tyre mounted on the back of the vehicle last Friday, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) said today in a statement.

The gypsy moth, which is already in the North Island, poses a multi-million dollar threat to forestry and horticulture. The moth has not yet established itself in the South Island, but last month eggs were also found on an imported vehicle at the port of Lyttelton near Christchurch.

The Government is spending tens of millions of dollars on controversial spraying campaigns to eliminate the gypsy moth from Hamilton and the painted apple moth from Auckland.

MAF's Director of Forest Biosecurity Peter Thomson said the find was extremely important.

"Gypsy moth is one of this country's most-feared moth pests... It's suited to cool climates and is a voracious consumer of conifers. Its impact on South Island forests could have been devastating," he said.

Nelson Quarantine Officer Jaimie Baird said the large and healthy-looking eggs were discovered when the vehicle's spare tyre was removed for inspection.

The vehicle had been thoroughly inspected and steam-cleaned to ensure no viable eggs remained, he said.

The eggs would be sent to a laboratory for final identification, but staff were sure they were gypsy moth.

The four-wheel-drive was one of around 40 vehicles unloaded from the car carrier Violet Ace.

Mr Baird said three quarters of those vehicles required extra cleaning, although no further egg masses were found.

Forestry is of major importance to the Nelson-Tasman region, which has an estimated 100,000ha in plantation forest.

- NZPA