1

WHAT’S BUZZING? News from the World of Pest Management

IN THIS ISSUE President’s Pen 1

From the Editor 3

Member wins Prestige’s Award 5

Improved Asthma Outcomes 8

Cockroach Baiting Program 9

Ant Communication 12

News Bites 14

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

The Seven Big Questions 15

MPI Glueboard Update 20

Technical Hints 21

P M A N Z

PO Box 133215

Eastridge

Auckland

1146 New Zealand

Free phone: 0800 476 269

(0800 4PMANZ)

Email: info@pmanz.nz

Website: www.pmanz.nz

PRESIDENT

Steve Hunn

steve.hunn@nzdf.mil.nz

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Denise Faulkner / Jo Wright

info@pmanz.nz

PRESIDENT’S PEN – STEVE HUNN

Happy New Year to all members

It’s great to start the New Year with a success story!

PMANZ wishes to recognise and extend our congratulations to PMANZ member

Amalgamated Pest Control (Fiji) in winning the 2016 award for Excellence in

Business Leadership.

The Prime Ministers International Business Awards celebrates Fijian business

success by providing an opportunity for Fijian businesses to benchmark perfor-

mance, build capability, inspire to innovate, showcase service excellence, sup-

port job creation and boost employee morale.

As such we congratulate Mr. Mohammed Tazim to be the first to win “The Prime

Ministers International Business Award for Excellence in Business Leadership”.

The Excellence in Business Leadership Award was presented to Mr. Moham-

med Tazim who has shaped his business in Fiji through steadfast leadership,

vision, tenacity and dedication; being a true leader and role model for other

companies. This award was created to honour and recognize the dynamic, in-

spiring and visionary men and women who create the products, services and

jobs that help our economy and communities grow. This award indicates the

many significant achievements of Mr. Mohammed Tazim, applauding him for

taking the road less travelled - to launch new companies, open new markets

and fuel job growth.

You can read all about it in the newsletter on page 5.

At the time of writing, the council has yet to have its first meeting for 2017. How-

ever, an important item on the agenda is work to be completed with the feasibil-

ity of moving the Level 3 NZCPO qualification towards becoming the new train-

ing qualification for commercial use of Class 9 pest control products in lieu of

the approved handlers certificate (which will fall under the umbrella of the new

EPA Hazardous Property Control Notice). Watch this space!

That’s it for now!

Best wishes

Steve

February 2017 •Volume 10 No. 1

2

PMANZ is pleased to announce that we will have the renowned former All Black, Frank Bunce open our con-ference deliberations on Thursday 24 Au-gust, so make sure you are there to hear his story. Frank Eneri Bunce

(born 4 February 1962) is a retired New Zealand rugby union player and current coach. He played international rugby for both Western Samoa and New Zealand in the 1990s, appearing in the 1991 and 1995 World Cups. He played in four interna-tional matches for Samoa and 55 for New Zealand (the All Blacks). Bunce was born in Auckland, New Zealand and

attended Mangere College. He has two daugh-ters, Samantha and Victoria, and three sons, Chance, Jordan and Joshua. He is the great neph-ew of Sir Robert Rex, the premier of Niue,[1] and a direct descendent of King George III. In addition to the wonderful line of speakers al-ready confirmed we will also have our own local Entomologist Dr Gene Browne talking to us in his humorous way about different treatment applica-tions. He is the principal consultant at Bioscien-tific Solutions and specialises in medical entomol-ogy, marine biology, biostatistics, fresh water and terrestrial ecology, biosecurity and quarantine work. Full details of the finalised programme, registra-tion and hotel accommodation will be posted to the PMANZ website later this month – ensure you follow through to secure your place at the PMANZ 2017 Conference and AGM.

3

FROM THE EDITOR

Send all comments or suggestions to Peter Barry

peter@pestconsultancy.co.nz

The New Year has dawned and we are back into

the working year . It never ceases to amaze me

how quickly Christmas and New Year come and

go. Maybe it’s just all the fun we have around

this time with family and friends that speeds it

along so quickly. Nevertheless, whatever you did

over the festive season, I hope it was a brilliant

time.

2017 brings with it a whole lot of challenges, and

the one we are all talking about is of course the

weather. It has been atrocious all over. The only

guys that seem to have had a semblance of sum-

mer are those lucky folks in Hawkes Bay, who

now are bordering on some drought conditions.

Go figure – Mother Nature is changing alright -

and she seems to get quite upset these days…

You will have noticed that I have changed the

layout. I have added columns and page dividers

to better separate the various articles. Hope you

like the new look?

Dry ice, which has been working so well in some

US cities and was recently used at Auckland Zoo

to control rodents –has come under the spot-

light in America by EPA, and subsequently has

been temporarily banned. Read more about

that in News Bites.

Of consequence too, is the increased cockroach

actively in some parts of the country, and there

are a number of good articles and tips about

baiting for them.

Our Conference program has now been finalised,

with all speakers confirmed, and as you will have

noticed on the previous page we have former All

Black, Frank Bunce to kick-off proceedings this

year, as well as the services of Dr Gene Browne.

Make sure you register your interest by going to

the website and following the links to the regis-

tration forms and hotel bookings discount link for

the Ellerslie Novotel and Ibis Hotels.

The announcement last year from government

about Predator Free New Zealand 2050 still cre-

ates some interesting discussion in the media

from academics. Read more about the seven

most important questions being asked, in our

New Zealand News section., as well as an update

on glueboards from MPI

Finally, I wish to apologise to Peter Ambrose-

Pearce from Syngenta, who incorrectly was

named in the December issue as Peter Ambrose-

Brown.

I sincerely apologise Peter, my mistake.

Fair Use Reporting

Articles provided in "What’s Buzzing" are drawn from a number of sources. The source of the material is quoted, either by

author, publication and/or organization, in line with the practice of ‘Fair Use’ reporting of news or information to PMANZ

members for their ongoing education. The information contained in this newsletter is for member information only, and

does not necessarily reflect the official views or opinions of the PMANZ Council and/or its members.

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5

FIJIAN MEMBER WINS PRESTIGE AWARD

L to R - Representative from Golden Manufacturers the Sponsor of the Award; Mr. Mohammed Tazim (Managing Direc-

tor of Amalgamated Pest Control Fiji); The Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Mr. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum ; CEO

of Investment Fiji Mr. Godo Muller - Teut

The Prime Ministers International Business Awards celebrates Fijian business success by providing an opportunity for Fijian businesses to benchmark performance, build capabil-ity, inspire to innovate, showcase service excellence, support job creation and boost em-ployee morale.

As such we congratulate the Managing Director of Amalgamated Pest Control, Fiji, Mohammed Tazim to be the first to win “The Prime Ministers International Business Award for Excellence in Business Leadership”. Excellence in Business Leadership Award The Excellence in Business Leadership Award sponsored by Golden Manufacturers is presented to an individual who has shaped the business world in Fiji through steadfast leadership, vision, tenacity and dedication; who is a true leader and role model for other companies. The award is created to honour and recognize the dynamic, inspiring and visionary men and

women who create the products, services and jobs that help our economy and communities grow. The Excellence in Business Leadership Award was presented to Mr. Mohammed Tazim who has shaped his business in Fiji through steadfast leadership, vision, tenacity and dedication; being a true leader and role model for other compa-nies. This award was created to honour and recognize the dynamic, inspiring and visionary men and women who create the products, services and jobs that help our economy and communities grow.

6

This award indicates the many significant achievements of Mr. Mohammed Tazim, applaud-ing him for taking the road less travelled - to launch new companies, open new markets and fuel job growth. This was the first year that the award for Excel-lence in Business Leadership was given out and a Pest Control Company. It has picked up and boosted the industry profile in Fiji and the Pacific. This is something very unique. Mr. Mohammed Tazim’s companies have won the following awards in 2016 as well:

Amalgamated Pest Control – Prize Level award for the Fiji Business Excellence Award 2016 Hygiene & Sanitization Services (Fiji) LTD – Commitment to Business Excellence at the Fiji Business Excellence Award 2016 Mr. Tazim’s companies have been consistently winning these awards since 2013 making this the First Pest control company to win the award for Fiji Business Excellence Award in Fiji. More information can be found on http://www.iba.org.fj/

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8

A SINGLE INTERVENTION FOR COCKROACH CONTROL REDUCES COCKROACH EXPOSURE AND ASTHMA MORBIDITY IN CHILDREN

Background

Exposure to cockroaches is an important asth-

ma trigger, particularly for children with asthma

living in inner cities. Integrated pest management

is the recommended approach to cockroach

abatement; however, it is costly and difficult to

implement. The impact of reducing cockroach ex-

posure on asthma outcomes is not known.

Objective

We sought to test the use of a single intervention,

insecticidal bait, to reduce cockroach exposure in

the home of children with asthma in New Orleans

and to examine the impact of cockroach reduction

on asthma outcomes.

Methods

One hundred two children aged 5 to 17 years with

moderate to severe asthma were enrolled in a 12-

month randomized controlled trial testing the use

of insecticidal bait on cockroach counts and asth-

ma morbidity. Homes were visited 6 times and

asthma symptoms were assessed every 2 months.

Results

After adjustment, intervention homes had signifi-

cantly fewer cockroaches than did control homes

(mean change in cockroaches trapped, 13.14; 95%

CI, 6.88-19.39; P < .01). Children in control homes

had more asthma symptoms and unscheduled

health care utilization in the previous 2 weeks

(1.82, 95% CI, 0.14-3.50, P = .03; 1.17, 95% CI,

0.11-2.24, P = .03, respectively) and a higher pro-

portion of children with FEV1 of less than 80% pre-

dicted (odds ratio, 5.74; 95% CI, 1.60-20.57;

P = .01) compared with children living in interven-

tion homes.

Conclusions

Previous research has demonstrated improve-

ment in asthma health outcomes using multifac-

eted interventions. The strategic placement of

insecticidal bait, which is inexpensive, has low tox-

icity, and is widely available, resulted in sustained

cockroach elimination over 12 months and was

associated with improved asthma outcomes. This

single intervention may be an alternative to multi-

faceted interventions currently recommended to

improve asthma morbidity.

Source : Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(16)31349-5/abstract

9

Cockroaches are a universal pest associated with

humans. With the increasing preference for the use

of insecticidal baits in the control of these species,

this Insight reviews recent scientific studies with re-

spect to cockroach behavioural responses to feeding

and foraging strategies, to enable professional pest

managers to optimise their control programs.

Control of B germanica using the fundamental ele-

ments of IPM (inspection-guided baiting) has been

proven to significantly reduce cockroach populations

compared with conventional residual spray treat-

ments, but correct application techniques and a

sound understanding of cockroach foraging behav-

iour is paramount for success.

CREATING EXCELLENCE IN COCKROACH BAITING PROGRAMS

Cockroach baiting has over recent times become the primary method of control in urban cockroach manage-ment programs. Cockroach baiting offers a precise, targeted solution that employs significantly lower levels of toxicant, in keeping with the principles of Integrated Urban Pest Management. It is also perceived as offering a lower risk approach to pest management.

Whilst many think of cockroach baiting as a rela-

tively recent strategy, following the introduction

of the first gel bait in Australia in 1997, baiting of

cockroaches in fact dates back more than a centu-

ry. The first commercial bait was sold in 1896 in

the UK and USA, and consisted of phosphorus

added to a sweetened flour paste. Prior to that,

DIY baits consisting of one part plaster of Paris

and 3-4 parts of flour were widely used.

Since then, a range of active constituents have

been employed in cockroach baits in Australia

including boric acid, chlorpyrifos, hydramethyl-

non, abamectin, imidacloprid, fipronil, and in-

doxacarb. A range of sophisticated bait formula-

tions are also now available in the market includ-

ing the now ubiquitous gel baits, a liquid micro-

encapsulated bait, granular baits, and a dry flowa-

ble magnetic powder bait.

Compared to residual spray formulations, cock-

roach baits are generally less toxic and leave less

residues, since they are applied in low doses di-

rectly to cockroach harbourages or areas of

known cockroach activity. Consequently, they

tend to be favoured in sensitive environments

such as zoos, child-care facilities, electrical/

computer areas, and food premises. A further re-

ported benefit is that baiting for cockroaches

does not harm beneficials in the environment,

thus enabling the conservation of oothecal parasi-

toids of cockroaches, e.g. nematodes and fungi

(Suiter, 1997). Though it is questionable whether

this would present a sound marketing basis for

baiting programs!

For a bait to be attractive when placed in urban

areas with a number of competing food sources, it

must contain nutrients that are both limited and

unique in the environment. The nutritional value

of foods has a very significant impact on cockroach

development and reproduction. Given the relative-

ly simplistic nerve structure of cockroaches, with

the brain a supra-oesophageal nerve ganglion

(cluster of nerves) formed by the fusion of three

pairs of ganglia; it is surprising to learn that cock-

roaches are actually able to ‘self-select’ the nutri-

ents they require to correct nutrient deficiencies

that arise from feeding on unbalanced food

sources.

10

Carbohydrates are mostly consumed during the first week after hatching, i.e. during the first sta-dium (instar), with lesser amounts required in each subsequent stadium. In contrast, protein is required during all life-stages, though in a lower proportion. When cockroaches were reared in an environment where they were able to self-select the nutrients required, they grew optimally by selecting the requisite nutrients for each nym-phal development stage. It is also reported (Raubenheimer and Jones, 2006) that when nu-trient deficiencies exist in a food source, German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) prefer to self-select an unbalanced food, provided it will com-

pensate for the nutrients they were lacking from a more balanced food.

It is believed that cockroaches can in fact distinguish food of different nutritional value through a process known as spe-cific nutrient learning. They learn which nutrients their body requires most and then seek these out. Associative learning has also been reported in the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana), where the insects were able to associ-ate the smell of a food and asso-ciate this to the proteins present and required.

The consequences of this are most important in the development of cockroach bait, since it be-comes vital to have a food source within the bait that provides a complete and balanced diet containing all the nutrients required by the

cockroaches in order to optimise the success of the baiting program.

Typically, three macronutrients are included in the matrices of cockroach bait: carbohydrates, lipids and proteins, though it is essential to in-clude further ingredients to provide a complete dietary food source. (Sadly many baits are based on sugars only which leads to less than optimal results in the field, as will be discussed later.)

Attractant and feeding stimulants are also im-portant to draw the cockroaches to the bait and then to ensure they consume larger amounts of the bait and achieve increased uptake of the tox-icant. Other additives are added to prolong the lifespan and retain moisture content in the baits.

In addition to considering the attractiveness of the bait and its nutritional value to the cock-roaches, to effectively compete with other food sources, one needs to address the issue of feed-ing stimulation.

A food item can act as both an attractant and a feeding stimulant, but this is rarely the case. A substance that is attractive may not necessarily stimulate feeding. Similarly, an item that is a feeding stimulant may not attract cockroaches to

bait. Attractants function by drawing cockroach-es towards the bait, and laboratory studies have shown that a high quality bait formulation can even draw cockroaches from upwind of the bait, away from corners and edges of walls, to bait placed 25-30 cm away.

American Cockroaches

German Cockroaches

11

In contrast, feeding stimulants are required to induce and promote increased consumption of baits. Understandably the amount of the bait eat-en at a single feed is very important in a control program, particularly when we consider second-ary kill effects. This determines if sufficient toxi-cant is consumed to both kill the cockroach and have toxicant available for secondary transfer. This is because cockroaches that consume larger amounts of bait defecate and regurgitate more substances containing the toxicant.

Studies have shown some baits are more attrac-tive to the cockroaches, and the cockroaches are drawn to them by preference. However, the cock-roaches eat significantly less since they feed on these baits for a shorter time period. This is why the targeted addition of feeding stimulants is im-portant.

Feeding stimulants are often species specific, though mixtures of these substances frequently show synergistic effects. This means that, by care-fully combining different stimulants, we can greatly improve the performance of cockroach bait.

The use of carefully designed bait stations can

also improve bait performance. German cock-

roaches are often attracted to novel objects intro-

duced into their environment. When the com-

plexity of the introduced object is increased, for

example by using a station with several entranc-

es, the cockroaches spend more time exploring

the station, and are most attracted to it when a

food source is added.

Suiter, D.R. (1997) Biological suppression of synanthropic cockroaches. Journal of Agricultural Entomology 14, 259-270. Raubenheimer, D. and Jones, S.A. (2006) Nutritional imbalance in an extreme generalist omnivore: tolerance and recovery through complementary food selection. Animal Behaviour 71, 1253-1262. This article is courtesy of Ensystex New Zealand Ensystex New Zealand Ltd Postal Address: P O Box 301 710 | Albany Auckland 0752 Telephone: 0800 ENSYSTEX | 0800 367 978 | Mobile: (021) 882 715

www.ensystex.co.nz

Do you need a HSNO test certifier ...

for the renewal of your Approved Handler Certificate

Use the EPA website link below to search to find a test certifier who is approved to issue a test certifi-

cate for Urban Pest Management.

http://www.epa.govt.nz/search-databases/Pages/testcertifiers-search.aspx

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12

KISS AND TELL: HOW ANTS COMMUNICATE MOUTH-TO-MOUTH

The exchange of fluid via mouth-to-mouth troph-

allaxis may play a role in colony-wide communica-

tion in social insects such as Camponotus florida-

nus. (Photo credit: Adria LeBoeuf)

Children are often admonished to not talk with

food in their mouths. Ants, on the other hand,

may be doing it regularly.

Mouth-to-mouth food sharing, known as trophal-

laxis, is common among social insects like ants. A

new study from the University of Lausanne, Swit-

zerland, suggests ants also “talk” and influence

colony development via trophallaxis by exchang-

ing a mix of proteins, hormones, and other chemi-

cals linked to growth regulation and nestmate

identification.

“A lot of researchers consider trophallaxis only as

a means of food-sharing,” said Professor Richard

Benton of the Center for Integrative Genomics, a

senior author of the study, in a press release.

“But trophallaxis occurs in other contexts, such

as when an ant is reunited with a nest-mate after

isolation. We therefore wanted to see if the fluid

exchanged by trophallaxis contains molecules

that allow ants to pass other chemical messages

to each other, and not just food.”

Benton and colleagues, led by postdoctoral re-

searcher Adria LeBoeuf, studied fluids exchanged

by Camponotus floridanus. In addition to pro-

teins involved in regulating ants’ growth, they

identified high levels of juvenile hormone, which

is known to play an important role in insect de-

velopment, reproduction, and behaviour. They

added juvenile hormone to the food of ants that

feed larvae via trophallaxis and found it made

the larvae twice as likely to reach adulthood.

“This indicates that juvenile hormone and other

molecules transferred mouth-to-mouth over this

social network could be used by the ants to collec-

tively decide how their colony develops,” says

LeBoeuf. “So, when the ants feed their larvae,

they aren’t just feeding them food, they are

casting quantitative ballots for their colony, ad-

ministering different amounts of growth-

promoting components to influence the next gen-

eration.”

The study also dug deeper into the established

role of trophallaxis in nest-mate identification,

demonstrating the presence of specific chemicals

in exchanged fluid that aid ants in distinguishing

colony members from non-members.

Source : Entomology Today

https://entomologytoday.org/2016/12/07/kiss-and-tell-how-ants-communicate-mouth-to-mouth/

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14

USA: EPA stops cities using dry ice to kill rats

NEWS BITES

Some of America’s biggest metros have

been placing dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide)

into burrows to suffocate rats. As it subli-

mates from a solid to a gas, it proves more

efficient at killing rodents and cheaper than

using conventional rat poisons. But the EPA

has made it clear that federal guidelines

prohibit the use of dry ice for rat abatement

because the deadly treatment is not regis-

tered.

The revelation prompted Boston and New

York to halt the use of dry ice in their rat

abatement programs, while Chicago is in-

vestigating the issue. All three cities

launched tests this year.

Boston city recorded as much as a 95% re-

duction in rodent activity in areas where it

deployed dry ice after it launched the pilot in

April.

Chicago launched its pilot in August and im-

mediately recorded a 60% reduction in bur-

rows in areas it tested. The city noted that

at 50 cents per pound, dry ice is far cheaper

that the rat poison pellets selling for $57 per

20-pound bucket. Widespread media atten-

tion about the cities’ use of dry ice prompted

several municipalities and school systems

to contact the EPA about the legality of the

product.

The National Pest Management Association

also inquired with EPA and the Illinois De-

partment of Public Health about the use of

dry ice after Chicago launched its pilot and

was told it could not be legally used as ro-

denticide.

The group published a message to mem-

bers in its October newsletter that any use

of CO2/dry ice to control rodents would be a

violation of federal law.

Source: USA Today http://usat.ly/2frWbCB

15

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

PREDATOR-FREE NZ: THE SEVEN BIG QUESTIONS

New Zealand has embarked on a mission to rid the nation of pests by 2050. Photo / File

It is now six months since the Government announced an ambitious plan to rid New Zealand of pest predators by 2050. Now that scientists have had time to chew over the concept, is it possible, or even safe? The New Zealand Science Media Centre put the burning questions to top researchers.

1. The use of genetic engineering has been mentioned as a potential avenue to eradicate pests. What possible technologies does this encompass and how might these work? "I suspect genetic technologies will be the key to developing pest control that is species-specific, works at a large scale, and is cheap and persistent," said Professor Neil Gemmell, of Otago University's De-partment of Anatomy. Fundamentally, these would predominately focus on exploiting genetic weaknesses in a given species, and he suspected key areas to target would be around reducing reproductive potential. "Prior work surveying people's view on issues such as possum control suggests that there is more pub-lic support for tools that might impair an animal's fertility compared with any other form of manipula-tion or control measure that may cause the animal harm and suffering." The first target of eradicating a pest species by 2025 was only eight years away - and this was likely going to be hard to achieve, he said. "If we start today we need six months to plan, likely several years in the lab, then a few years for controlled field trials, before eventual deployment at landscape scales, which will take mas-sive effort and years to achieve eradication. "This is the New Zealand version of the space race and we need commitment and resource to achieve this. It was likely, Gemmell said, that a quasi-business/military model, as seen during the space race, might be needed to achieve this goal. Professor Neil Gemmell of Otago University. Photo /

Supplied

16

2. The announcement of the initiative came with additional funding; what sorts of technologies or programmes should be advanced to get an effective technology mix? Landcare Research scientist Dr Andrea Byrom, who is director of the Biological Heritage National Sci-ence Challenge, said people often asked about the new technologies for killing pests or reducing their populations to extremely low numbers. "There is no question that we will need new tools in the toolkit. "For example, we will need to re-consider biological control, which is a catch-all term for approaches like causing infertility in mammals or using a virus to reduce a population to very low levels." Byrom also noted the development of promising new methods such as gene drive technology - a new approach of breeding an all-male line into a pest population until eventually it declines to extinction with no females to breed with. "This all sounds futuristic and scary to most people, but the reality is that there are many technological hurdles to overcome in the world's laboratories before we can apply these technologies in a field situa-tion - many years down the track - and when we do take them to the field, we could trial them on a remote island first, which would guard against any risk of an unwanted organism escaping." "I would prefer that we take a step back and consider the wider picture, and in my mind there are is-sues other than a technological 'fix' that are equally important. "For example: will we need to alter legislation to allow the release of a virus or new organism into the environment? "How should we make use of existing tools in the toolkit, as well as developing new ones? "Should we begin with peninsulas or islands, and how should we 'roll out' predator-free status across the North and South Island? "How will we respond to public concerns about new technologies? "How will other pests respond when rats, stoats and possums are removed? "And how can we incentivise the level of investment required to make PFNZ [pest-free New Zealand] a reality? "All these questions point to the need for a 'whole system' approach: thinking about all the pieces of a gigantic jigsaw puzzle together rather than one piece at a time. "But it will be worth it."

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry announces New Zealand's bold Predator Free 2050 bid at Wellington's Zealandia sanc-tuary in July 2016. Photo / File

17

3. What are the barriers or risks to using genetic techniques to control pest populations? "Take the risks of GMO crops and livestock, then imagine that the modified organisms will not be con-fined to field or paddock but will be released to range freely in the environment," said Professor Phil Seddon, of Otago University's Wildlife Management Programme. "Environmental release of GMOs introduces new levels of risk and uncertainty, such as unanticipated expression of new genetic sequences, or the undesirable transfer of the modification to other species." A major barrier would be public acceptance in the face of the "Monsanto effect", whereby GMOs are seen as being tied to big business and driven by corporate interests rather than having environmental and human health concerns a priority, he said. But it was "essential" that genetic approaches gained social acceptance - which perhaps would be a big-ger challenge than getting the technology right. "We need a careful, controlled, early and successful case study to allay public fears and to demonstrate how environmental release of a GMO might be beneficial for conservation - perhaps getting rid of the mice on a small offshore island, where there are natural barriers to dispersal and the ability to apply conventional control to eradicate the mice should things not work out as planned." "I think the general public might be more accepting of GMOs for conservation than some people think - we need to give an informed public a chance to consider the issue." 4. Has research so far pinpointed any risks with potential genetic control measures? Assistant professor Kevin Esvelt, head of the Sculpting Evolution Group at the MIT Media Lab, who is leading a team developing gene drives, explained there were two basic kinds of gene drive: those that will affect a local population and then stop, and those that were likely to spread globally. Standard CRISPR-based gene drives were extraordinarily efficient at copying themselves, so it took very few escaped organisms for them to spread. "To be blunt, I am highly sceptical that these global drive systems can be reliably contained, and strong-ly recommend against their use for conservation," he said. "Local CRISPR-based drive systems such as the 'daisy drives', which my lab are developing, are still early in development." Esvelt added it was important to note that humanity had no experience engineering systems that could evolve outside of our control. "We're developing nematode worms, which reproduce twice per week and are readily grown in the hundreds of millions, as a model in which to study gene drives in the laboratory. "Since evolution is a numbers game, we need to run experiments on populations of comparable size to those we anticipate affecting in the wild to predict the behaviour of these systems once released." CRISPR-based gene drive systems were "unfailingly" detectable by sequencing, spread slowly over gen-erations, and were readily blocked and overwritten should something goes wrong. "However, we haven't yet demonstrated a way to reliably restore populations to their original genomic sequences, though we're actively working on it." 5. How important is it that we get this right? What is at stake and how will New Zealand benefit from these outcomes? "It's critical that we ramp-up our efforts to preserve our native species to prevent any more of them going extinct," said Dr James Russell, a conservation biologist at the University of Auckland. "It's critical that we ramp-up our efforts to preserve our native species in order to prevent any more of them going extinct." It was no longer enough to rely on conservation in the "back-country" in the face of pervasive threats such as invasive species and climate change, Russell said. "It is, therefore, important that we find solutions for their conservation that have longevity and provide good returns on conservation investment. "Otherwise, we risk wasting labour and resources."

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"New Zealand had to make sure the pro-gramme was imple-mented properly, so that it didn't have unin-tended side-effects, or distract or delay from other urgent conserva-tion issues." It won't just be New Zealand's native spe-cies that benefit from PFNZ though. "Benefits of eradicating these [pests] will also extend to primary in-dustries - where inva-sive pests are vectors of disease - as well as offer boosts to tourism and public health. "Generally, the economic benefits of eradicating these eight species are predicted to outweigh the costs, especially when you consider that we already invest millions every year in their control just to stay in a 'holding pattern'."

University of Auckland conservation biologist Dr James Russell. Photo / Supplied

Article continues on the next page

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A rat raids a fantail nest. Photo / File

6. The goals for Preda-tor Free NZ were ambi-tious but do you think it's possible for the pro-ject to meets its targets by 2050 using current methods and technolo-gies? "No, but ongoing im-provements and wider use of current technolo-gy are essential to minimise short-term damage to vulnerable populations," said Professor Carolyn King of the University of Waikato. "We must do whatever we can to protect what is left of our heritage from continuing stress, otherwise, by the time it becomes possible to achieve eradication, there may not be much left." King said it had to be accepted that at this stage, pests removed could always be replaced. "So pest control is like cleaning toilets, you just have to keep on doing it. "Above all, it's important not to get carried away with ideas that turn out to be impractical, as these ex-haust everyone's emotional capital and lead them to give up. "There is no need to despair, only to be realistic, and patient." King said the biggest challenge would be to accelerate fertility control or, if possible, render impossible any breeding and reinvasion of the pests removed. "Killing pests is easy and getting easier - but the most important thing is not how many are killed, but how many were left, and how quickly those that are removed can be replaced. "Preventing that is much more difficult, which is why we still have pests after centuries of throwing eve-rything we can think of at them." 7. How important will public buy-in and support be to achieving the PFNZ goals? Emeritus Professor of Ecology Professor Charles Daugherty, of the Victoria University of Wellington, said in many respects, public backing was the single most important key to success. "New programmes to educate the public to understand the need for predator removal and the many benefits that will arise from doing so will need to be implemented in coming years." Many schools were already contributing significantly. "People often do not understand, for example, that doing nothing regarding introduced pest species is a decision to impose large ongoing costs on all New Zealanders - for example, on our national wealth arising from dairy, horticulture and tourism. "Doing nothing is also a decision to violate our national and international commitments."

The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2000-2020 committed New Zealand to stopping the decline of indigenous biodiversity. New Zealand has been a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity since 1993. "This commits us to the same goal - halting the decline in indigenous biodiversity, and predator control is a key element of achieving this goal. "We have a simple choice as a nation: eradicate the most dangerous introduced predatory species, or accept that they will eradicate our native species. "Only New Zealanders can save our rarest and most unique species which, like the kiwi, are often na-tional symbols."

Source - NZ Herald - http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11788489

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Regulations were issued in 2009 under the Animal

Welfare Act 1999 to restrict the sale and use of

glueboard traps for rodents. They prohibit sale and

use of glueboard traps for rodents from 1 January

2015, except under Ministerial approval.

Applications for approval are assessed according to

whether the sale or use is in the public interest, and

whether there are viable alternatives. This includes

a consideration of the biosecurity, conservation,

public health, animal health or other purpose the

glueboard traps are to be used for; the consequenc-

es if glueboard traps are not used; and whether the

applicant must use glueboard traps to meet a par-

ticular statutory or other standard imposed by a cli-

ent in New Zealand or overseas.

In 2016, MPI investigated 12 complaints relating to

the sale and use of glueboard traps. Seven com-

plaints related to the sale of glueboards without

Ministerial approval by cut price retail shops. Two

of these cases are still active while the others were

dealt with by an educational letter, verbal advice or

referral to the SPCA. One complaint related to late

reporting of glueboard trap usage as required by

Ministerial approval by a commercial pest control

operator, which was also dealt with by verbal ad-

vice. The other complaints did not relate to com-

mercial pest control operators or glueboard trap

suppliers. In addition, MPI provided educational ma-

terial when alerted to private importations of glue

boards (the regulations do not cover importation,

but importers are alerted to the regulation require-

ments for sale and use).

For the 2016 period, applications for exemption to

use glueboard traps have dropped by more than

half compared to the 2015 period. In 2015, 24,564

glueboard traps were sold in NZ, around 20,000 of

which were used, catching 1,507 rodents.

Some issues have been encountered with applica-

tions and reports, which made the process extreme-

ly time-consuming for applicants and MPI staff. Ma-

jor issues included application forms filled in incom-

plete with relevant information having to be chased

up, reports not being submitted in time and/or in-

complete, and third parties checking traps without

proper documentation of delegation and training.

In order to address these issues, we now ask opera-

tors to supply proof of training and/or PMANZ

membership for persons to be listed on the ap-

proval, evidence of delegation of checking duties

and training for third parties (i.e. site personnel)

and provision of site maps/list of premises for eve-

ry operator applying for approval to use glueboard

traps.

We thank the operators and suppliers who have

worked hard to ensure compliance with this regula-

tion, while having to maintain a focus on food safety

and hygiene.

MPI UPDATE ON RODENT GLUEBOARD TRAPS

For further information please contact Tamara Diesch PhD | Adviser, Animal Welfare

Animal and Animal Products | Regulation & Assurance Branch

Ministry for Primary Industries | Pastoral House 25 The Terrace | PO Box 2526 | Wellington

Telephone: 64-4-894 0076 | MPI tel: 0800 00 83 33 | Web: www.mpi.govt.nz

21

TECHNICAL HINTS Cockroach Baiting Basics: 14 Do's and Don'ts

For most PMPs, baiting has become the “go-to” treatment protocol for cockroach control. But even the finest

tools used improperly will fail. To help ensure your technicians are applying baits in the most professional way

possible, following are critical do's and don'ts of baiting from cockroach experts.

As industry product suppliers have continued to innovate, baiting has become the “go-to” treatment protocol for

cockroach control. But even the finest tools used improperly will fail. To help ensure your technicians are apply-

ing baits in the most professional way possible, following are critical do's and don'ts of baiting from cockroach

experts, including University of Florida (UF) Department of Entomology and Nematology Professor Phil Koehler,

UF Lab Student Sam Pass, Rose Pest Solutions Vice President Technical Services Mark Sheperdigian, and, McCloud

Service Technical Director Patricia Hottel.

Do

1. Place bait close to or in cockroach harbourages. Cockroaches are lazy and will eat the first thing they find.

To help direct placements, use visual inspections, client sightings, and glue trap monitors to help direct

placements. Additionally, inspections and inspection tools can help build the “demographic” profile of

where the bait-consuming cockroaches will be located.

2. Apply bait to cracks and crevices, putting out enough to kill the cockroaches that are present. Not only are

these the areas where the cockroaches are most likely to encounter the bait, but the narrow crack will also

help protect the bait from moisture loss, keeping it more palatable.

3. Inspect bait placements to see if cockroaches are eating it. If they are not, consider switching products –

the industry has seen bait aversion to the sugars in the bait food lures as well as to active ingredients. Rota-

tion from one active class to another is advised as part of resistance management.

4. Clean up food residues and ensure food storage containers are sealed – this improves bait performance by

leaving the cockroach with fewer alternative food sources.

5. Remove old bait with a putty knife or other blade. Old bait is no longer attractive to cockroaches and it can

make the place look dirty. Carry a towel or rag to wipe up bait drips and spills.

6. Always read and follow the label – if it states crack and crevice only, don’t put bait out in the open. As with

any pesticide, the label is the law. With cockroach baits, there can be a wide variety in the label language of

various manufacturers in defining application rates and bait placement sizes.

7. Store baits at temperatures to facilitate proper application. Too hot or cold a storage temperature may im-

pact application ease.

Don’t

1. Don't make just a few large bait placements; placing many smaller ones is more effective. But …

2. Don't make placements too small or they will dry out too quickly.

3. Don't place bait where pesticide has been sprayed, or to surfaces where they will be washed away or

mopped up.

4. Don't apply bait to food surfaces.

5. Don't place bait beyond the areas where cockroach activity has been detected.

6. Don't apply bait to hot surfaces, where it may melt or run.

7. Don't expect that gel baits are the only option for all cockroach control. Insect growth regulators in combi-

nation with baits can increase feeding by adult female German cockroaches, and granular baits may be

best for American cockroaches depending on location. Know the cockroach and be open to modifying your

Source: http://www.pctonline.com/news/category/targeting-cockroaches-rockwell-labs/