1

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

IN THIS ISSUE President’s Pen 1

From the Editor 3

Cockroaches in Drains 4

Global Climate Change 8

Strangers in the Night 10

News Bites 11

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Branson Plants One 12

Students Wage War 14

Saving Kiwi 15

1000 Dead Pests 16

New 1080 Rules 18

HSNO Five Options 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

Hi to all members

Please take time to read the editorial by Peter Barry in regards the EPA proposal for submissions to identify the “way ahead” for management and use of Class 9 substances that are toxic to the environment under the HSNO Act.

A brief summary of the original PMANZ submission, dated 17 Mar, included the following;

A. Recognition of existing NCUPM and the new NZCPO qualifications as evidence of existing HSNO training and that they are recognised until such time as member’s current AH Certificate expires.

B. Possible options in regard to adapting or adopting an existing (NZ or Australian) new unit standard to be undertaken by our members to meet EPA (and WorkSafe) requirements.

C. Feasibility of PMANZ and industry training providers collaborating in the design and conduct of a training package that satisfies both EPA and WorkSafe regulatory requirements in support of our members.

D. Acknowledgment of the complexity involved in setting-up refresher /currency requirements, e.g. every 5 years (or whatever is determined).

E. Determining and identifying the required qualifications of those who would be Compliance Certifiers and National NZCPO assessors. The need to identify what moderation procedures are required to support the above.

Further work is required to fully consider all the options as outlined in the EPA consultation document, and I urge all members to take the opportunity in voicing your opinion, together with PMANZ.

That’s it for now!

Best wishes

Steve

April 2017 •Volume 10 No. 2

2

SPECIAL CONFERENCE OFFER TO FULL

PMANZ MEMBERS THAT ATTEND THE FULL

CONFERENCE OR THURSDAY PROGRAMME.

REGISTER BEFORE 30TH JUNE 2017, AND

1. RESERVE YOUR FREE COPY (VALUED AT

$80.00) OF THE ‘SERVICE TECHNICIAN’S

INSPECTION AND IDENTIFICATION MAN-

UAL’,

2. AND GO INTO THE DRAW FOR AN ALL EX-

PENSES PAID TRIP FOR TWO TO ATTEND

THE 2018 AEPMA CONFERENCE ON THE

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA.

The Manual is a part of the Practical Guide for Pest

Control Professionals series by William H Robinson.

Its purpose is make inspection and identification

easier for service technicians, by, first, providing in-

formation to help the technician anticipate the com-

mon pests or damage that will be found during site

inspections, then linking that to detailed information

on, and illustrations of, more than 200 pests and

damage. The goal is to provide a single book with

guidelines for inspection and a means of confirming

what was found.

3

FROM THE EDITOR

Send all comments or suggestions to Peter Barry

peter@pestconsultancy.co.nz

I am reminded that our mission as an association of pest management firms is to communicate the role of our indus-try as protectors of food, health, property and the environ-ment and affect the success of our members through educa-tion and advocacy.

Through the efforts of PMANZ, the Urban Pest Management (UPM) industry is stronger, more professional and more uni-fied. PMANZ has guided its members and the industry through legislative and regulatory initiatives, the creation of verifiable technician training, the changing technologies used by industry and public and media relations.

From its beginning in 1976, PMANZ has been a clear, consist-ently positive voice for the industry, providing support ser-vices, consumer information, access to technical information and education training material for its members.

Once again I call upon you to have your say in a vitally im-portant part of our industry.

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) of NZ is calling for submissions on the qualifications required for class 9 pes-ticides, going forward.

They tell us, “Based on submitter feedback, and on conversa-tions held with other stakeholders, we don’t consider we are yet in a position to make a firm decision on exactly what qualifications to set for UPM operators. Instead, we will use this second consultation as an opportunity to present a num-ber of options, and request feedback on several specific questions asked in relation to each of the options present-ed.“.

There are five options EPA are proposing and are outlined in the table on page 19. It is likely that their final notice will include multiple options. Included in the table are issues they have identified for each option.

I urge you make your own submission to EPA.

PMANZ executive will be doing the same, but the more sub-missions EPA receive the easier it will be for them to select the most practical options for our industry.

In other countries that we look up to, Urban Pest Manage-ment operators have to be qualified and or licensed. In the case of Australia, United Kingdom, USA and South Africa for example it is legislated that operators must be licensed and some also require them to have a qualification.

In New Zealand we allow any person, after obtaining an Approved Handler certificate ONLY, to purchase and use class 9 insecticides in the urban environment.

Its like allowing a person to drive on the road after teaching them the road signs only.

The old level 2 National Certificate, and the new level 3 cer-tificate, ensure persons are able to be trained and guided by their peers and colleagues, and finally assessed by an ap-pointed assessor, much the same as one would be trained as a learner driver when gaining a drivers licence, then finally examined in a practical test.

Should this not be the same for all pest managers?

Many of you may not agree with what I have said here, but that is irrelevant, as whatever your thoughts on the matter, I urge you to make them known to EPA, and not me or PMANZ, as that's what will count at the end of the day...

This is THE OPPORTUNITY to get this right once and for all.

So download the document and have your say today!

We have until 5:00 pm, 19 April 2017.

Just do it!

Link to EPA website to download documents below:

http://www.epa.govt.nz/consultations/hazardous-substances/Pages/Consultation-open-on-rules-to-protect-people-and-our-environment-from-hazardous-

substances.aspx

NOTE: There is some good news. The notice will include a “grandfathering” provision for people who have a current approved handler certificate for class 9 agrichemicals. Such people will be considered a “qualified person” until their cur-rent approved handler certificate expires.

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.

4

COCKROACHES IN DRAINS

Drain sanitation is a common problem in food facilities, but did you know that cockroach-

es can live in drains, feed on the gunk that builds up, and enter your plant to contaminate

food and food surfaces?

“Cockroaches often live in the sewer system so they can

travel up into facilities from there, but they can also

enter drains from the facilities themselves,” explained

Rockwell Labs Owner/President Cisse Spragins.

“Roaches need moisture, food, and non-freezing tem-

peratures, and drains generally provide all three.”

Cockroaches can enter facilities in other ways as well,

said Nisus National Technical Director and Entomologist

Reid Ipser. They can enter from outdoor areas, particu-

larly from trash receptacles and adjacent businesses

that exhibit low sanitation levels; they can be unknow-

ingly introduced through packaging and containers; and

they can use drain lines as conduits from outside har-

bourage areas and/or from interconnecting sewer sys-

tems.

Once introduced, they can be allowed to breed and fes-

ter due to poor sanitation practices. For the cockroach-

es, Ipser said, “Drains serve as a nice, cool, restful place

to breed, eat food-stuffs, and harbour for protection.”

American cockroaches tend to be the most problematic

species in relation to drains, with Orientals a problem in

some geographic areas, and German cockroaches also

having a tendency to be attracted to drains. German

cockroaches are more likely to move in and out, rather

than harbouring in the drains. But, said Diversified Sales

and Marketing Technical Consultant Carl Forehand, “If

they come in in other ways, they can be attracted to

drains if they are not clean.” Additionally, he said,

drains can be conducive to any insect activity if they are

not regularly being cleaned; if food particulates are al-

lowed to get into them; if they get wet, then dry out.

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P R O F E SS I O N A L P E ST M A N AG E M E N T

6

Manually cleaning drains can be helpful, but this also can aerosolize and transmit pathogenic bacteria.

© endopack | iStock.com

But regardless of the species, how the cockroaches enter

the facility, or what attracts them to the drain, they are an

issue. “Once in a facility and moving around, they can carry

disease, and if someone eats a product contaminated with

fecal matter, it can cause asthma, dysentery, salmonellosis,

etc.,” Forehand said.

“As roaches move across food contact surfaces from drains

and possibly sewers they can spread pathogens,” Ipser

said, adding that FDA (USA) estimates that 48 million peo-

ple are struck with foodborne illness each year.

As such, cockroaches are a public health pest, particularly

in food facilities, Spragins said. “Their faeces, sputum, and

the insects themselves, or their parts that get into food,

can transmit disease. Infestations also negatively affect

employee morale and the general image a facility projects

to employees, vendors, customers and other visitors.”

COMPLIANCE

Cockroach presence could cause issues with performance

standards and produce safety. But, Ipser said, “it is not just

compliance; infestations are a violation of the Good Manu-

facturing Practices.” As Spragins explained, “Food Control

Plans (old Food Safety Programmes) calls for implementing

proactive measures to prevent food contamination, and

pest management is a central tenet of such a program. It is

impossible to prevent food contamination if insects are

roaming freely within a facility. The biofilm that builds up in

drains is well-known to harbour noxious bacteria. Roaches

(or flies) going from drains to food contact surfaces can

transmit these pathogens throughout a facility.”

It is for this reason that rules have to be instilled in all em-

ployees to ensure they are trying to maintain a safe envi-

ronment, Forehand said. “Everyone in the facility should be

familiar with rules of a Food Control Plan. Auditors also

come in looking for issues, so the facility needs to be in

compliance.”

This is true whether the facility performs its own pest con-

trol or contracts with a third-party service provider. If con-

tracting the service, he said, the pest management profes-

sional needs to do a good inspection, not just a walk-

through, and then offer solutions to take care of the prob-

lem and treat for the insect infestation. Then he or she

needs to follow-up to ensure the problem is solved — and

to make sure it hasn’t popped up elsewhere. “One of the

biggest things we fail in is communication, and that’s a two

-way street,” Forehand said.

Article continues over page

7

If a facility conducts its own service, all employees need to

understand the process, Forehand said. “Everyone needs to

be in on the program, not just the one person.” For example,

a facility may want to post rules on a wall, similar to the way

handwashing signs are posted.

Additionally, everyone in the facility should be familiar with

the purpose and requirements , including the answers to

questions such as: What hazards exist? What are the solu-

tions?

SOLVING DRAIN ISSUES

Whether the cockroaches are coming into the facility through

drains or going to drains after they come in through other

means, there are a number of solutions you can employ to

eliminate the cockroaches and reduce drain attraction.

As provided by Spragins, Isper, and Forehand, such solutions

include:

Exterior Treatments. Proactive perimeter pest control is nec-

essary, including habitat reduction around the outside perim-

eter, barrier spray on the foundation and around entry

points, and a band of moisture-resistant granular bait applied

outside the spray barrier. Always read the label to determine

what products can be used and where.

Drain Cleaning. Manually cleaning drains can be helpful, but

be mindful of the fact that scrubbing, steaming, pressure

washing, etc., can aerosolize pathogenic bacteria and poten-

tially transmit them onto food or food processing surfaces.

Bio-sanitation products can effectively clean drains in envi-

ronments with chronic moisture and high organic load, and

can help keep drains clean by digesting organic build-up in

which both pests and pathogens can harbour. Maintaining

drain cleanliness and using foams also can provide continued

pest suppression. Regular use of any cleaner is very

important, as even those that don’t kill the insect will remove

the conditions conducive to insect breeding.

Drain Treatments. Some pesticides can be used in and around

drains, but many cannot, so read labels before applying. If

there is any movement in the drain, especially if water is

flowing, be careful about chemical use; ensure that you don’t

contaminate ground water or areas where water drains out

(such as into an open stream).

Drain Traps. Traps in drain lines need to be installed and

working properly to help prevent roaches from entering

drains and coming into the facility through the sewer or out-

door water treatment facilities. The water trap seal valve sits

in the drain, letting water flow out, but not allowing insects

to move up into the facility. The traps also can eliminate gas-

ses and odours that can come up through drains and attract

insects.

Interior Inspections. Regular and thorough inspections of the

areas adjoining drains will reveal whether the drain program

is effective. Cockroaches can harbour in tight spaces under

and behind equipment, in stainless steel table legs, behind

and under cracked tile, and in wall voids that are accessible

through plumbing and utility penetrations. Inspect these are-

as for cockroaches as well. If needed, deploy a baiting pro-

gram throughout the facility, as permitted by regulation.

There are a lot of problems created in drains, Forehand said,

so it is important that facilities conduct inspections and elimi-

nate conducive conditions. “Be familiar with and knowledge-

able about what it takes to keep those problems from occur-

ring,” he said.

“It takes a continuous effort to maintain drain sanitation,”

Ipser said. “Clean drains equal fewer pest issues.”

Maintaining drain cleanliness and using foams can pro-

vide continued pest suppression.

Courtesy of Nisus

The author is Lisa Lupo - Editor of QA magazine. She can be reached at llupo@gie.net. Reprinted with permission from Quality Assurance & Food Safety (QA) magazine February/2017 Link to full article - http://magazine.qualityassurancemag.com/article/february-2017/pest-management-cockroaches-in-drains.aspx

8

IMPACT OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE ON URBAN AND PUBLIC PESTS

Climate change has generated enor-

mous interest in the scientific world

over the past two decades. It is de-

fined by Epstein (2004) as “the heat-

ing of the inner atmosphere, oceans,

and land surfaces of the earth, result-

ing in more intense and extreme

weather events and the altered tim-

ing, intensity, and distribution of pre-

cipitation”.

In the absence of predators and competitors, as in an urban

environment, pests can attain densities purely on the

availability of food and breeding opportunities. These two

parameters, combined with favourable climate, could lead to

high populations, as sometimes seen after catastrophic

events such as earthquakes (Srinivasan, 2006, Lee 2012). For

urban pests, air, water and food are indispensable and often

found in excess. However, one element which has a

significant influence on insect pests is temperature. Insects

are cold- blooded organisms and cannot regulate their body

temperature. The temperature of their body is approximate-

ly the same as that of its immediate environment. Therefore,

temperature is probably the single most important environ-

mental factor influencing pest behaviour, distribution, devel-

opment, survival, and reproduction (Petzoldt and Sea-

man, 2010). It could be safely assumed that the influence

of temperature on insects largely overwhelms all other

environmental factors (Bale et al. 2002). It has been

estimated that with a 2°C temperature increase, insect might

experience one to five additional life cycles per season

(Yamamura & Kiritani, 1998).

The effect of climate on urban pests has generated interest,

mostly through research on insect vectors such as mosqui-

toes. It is however expected that changes in the environ-

ment will also affect other pests, specifically non- vectors

and nuisance pests. Roy et al (2009) undertook a study to

determine the effect of climate change on nuisance insect

species in the United Kingdom. Several insect pests such as

German cockroach, bed bug, Pharaoh ant, wood- worm, cat

fleas, powder post beetle are unlikely to be affected by

climate warming, whereas species such as moth, fly, garden

ant, Argentine ant, Mediterranean termite, Culex and Aedes

mosquito and house fly are most likely to increase with cli-

mate warming.

Sims and Appel (2013) documented examples to illustrate

weather-influenced effects on pests. Termite

swarming occurring unusually early in the year, followed an

extremely mild winter of 2011-12, followed by a very warm

and dry summer. There was also a significant increase in

houses invaded by brown recluse spiders that normally re-

side outdoors. Quarles (2007) suggested temperature in-

creases in the U.S. will favour warm weather pests such as

ants, termites, clothes moths, flies, mosquitoes, fleas, stored

product moths, wood boring beetles, and even bed bugs. An

increase in the geographic range of mosquitoes following

warm temperature gradients into previously unknown terri-

tories in USA (Rochlin et al, 2013), serves as another good

example how temperature can influence urban pest dynam-

ics.

Alteration to the environment because of flooding or

drought, in addition to changes in land-use patterns, can

influence pest distribution in urban areas (Bonnefoy et al.,

2008). Climate change also has the potential to modify the

impact of exotic invasive species by affecting their source,

pathway and destination (Hobbs, 2000).

In addition to general variations in climate, many

socioeconomic conditions and human behaviours can

influence pest distribution.

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10

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT

Field crickets become abundant around structures in late

summer and autumn. Their eggs are laid in autumn...so guess

what they’re up to now?

Illustration by Wesley Merritt

Have you ever listened to the mesmerizing serenade of crick-

ets on a crisp autumn evening and wondered why? I mean,

the mercury’s definitely headed south soon, the nights are

going to become chill and those bugs’ll be belly-up before

too long. Yet they’re standing on the stoop warbling im-

promptu a cappellas. What’s up with that?

I’ll give it to you straight: crickets or Sinatra, it all comes

down to Guys and Dolls.

First there’s An Affair to Remember.

OK, several affairs.

What can I say? The Lady is a Tramp.

A few weeks later the she-cricket leaves her eggs to be fos-

tered by soil or plant stems, then scurries away to die of ex-

posure shortly thereafter. The guy(s) have long since split but

suffer a similar fate. The following spring their orphaned off-

spring hatch, molt and become wingless nymphs — tiny ver-

sions of Mom and Pop(s). Summer is spent looking for rations

and staying out of trouble. Autumn leaves mean it’s time to

go underground until things heat up again. Come spring

they’ll emerge with a song in their hearts.

Well…not exactly.

Crickets don’t actually sing. The females are silent, and when

males want to croon they don’t clear their throats. They rub

their wings together like snapping fingers. Very hip. So may-

be it would be more accurate to say they wear their hearts

on their sleeves…except they don’t have sleeves. Or arms.

Let’s just say they do it their way. I’m sure The Chairman of

the Board would understand.

Frank had plenty of hits and, early in his career, an impres-

sive two-octave range. Male crickets have a much more lim-

ited range and repertoire — one Nice ’n’ Easy hit, usually a

single note. Repeated as many times as necessary. These cats

don’t swing but they do have stamina, plus they mix up the

tempo to suit the room’s temperature.

And Jeepers Creepers, there’s something about a love song

that sets the female heart a-flutter, especially In The Wee

Small Hours of the Morning. Makes no difference whether

she’s a dame or The Girl Next Door. She’ll leave home and go

Wandering in search of a song she just can’t resist…and in no

time at all she’ll be Taking a Chance on Love. Apparently, a

dreamy tune counts for a lot more than looks because she

completely ignores the fact that her suitor’s ears are on his

front legs. She’s Funny That Way.

Come to think of it, Frankie’s ears were rather conspicuous,

too, but the bobbysoxers still swooned.

Author Kieran Lindsey

The author loves looking for wild things in all the wrong plac-es…so she became an urban wildlife biologist. She’s also the official Animal-Vehicle Biologist for NPR’s “Car Talk.” Read her blog at www.nextdoornature.org.

11

The bed bug's most closely guarded secrets —

stashed away in protective armor that enables these

blood-sucking little nasties to shrug off insecticides

and thrive in homes and hotels — were on the agen-

da at a major scientific meeting. In a talk at the

246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American

Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific

society, scientists are describing identification of the

genes responsibe for pesticide-resistance in bed bugs,

and the implications for millions of people trying to

cope with bed bug infestations that have been re-

surging for more than a decade.

The bed bug presentation was part of an international

research award symposium at the ACS National Meet-

ing, which includes 12 other research papers on top-

ics ranging from pesticide resistance to monitoring

chemicals in the environment to tick spit.

"Every living thing on Earth has a unique set of strat-

egies to adapt to life-threatening situations in the

environment," says Fang Zhu, PhD, a leader of the

research who spoke at the meeting. "The surprise

discovery we never expected is that most of the

genes responsible for pesticide resistance in the bed

bug are active in its outer skin-like shell or cuticle.

This is the unique adaption that has not been discov-

ered in cockroaches, termites, ants or other insects."

Zhu of Washington State University and colleagues,

who are with the University of Kentucky, quickly real-

ized that the location was the ideal spot for genes

that mute the effects of pyrethroid insecticides — to-

day's mainstay home and garden pesticides. The bod-

ies of bed bugs, she explained, are extremely flat be-

fore the creatures slurp up a meal of human blood.

That profile adapts bed bugs for a life of hiding in the

seams of mattresses, upholstered chairs, the lining of

suitcases and other concealed locations. But it also

creates a vulnerability to environmental toxins, giving

bed bugs an unusually large surface area where pes-

ticides can enter their bodies. The shell is tough —

and accounts for the difficulty in squashing a bed

bug. But research by Zhu's team and others has es-

tablished that it's also a metabolic hot spot to protect

against insecticides. Some genes in the cuticle, for

instance, produce substances that tear apart the mo-

lecular backbone of insecticides, rendering them

harmless. Other genes manufacture biological pumps

that literally pump insecticides back out of the cuticle

before they can enter the body.

Zhu's team sifted through the bed bug's genome —

its complete set of genes — to identify the genes re-

sponsible for this pesticide resistance. They studied

21 populations of bed bugs from cities in Ohio and

Kentucky (Cincinnati, Lexington and Louisville) that

were plagued with bedbug infestations.

"We took advantage of cutting-edge next-generation

genetic sequencing technology that's now available. It

enabled us to perform quickly an analysis that would

have taken years in the 1990s — a genome-wide

analysis of the insecticide-resistance related genes in

bedbugs."

They found 14 genes that in various combinations

help bedbugs survive pesticide treatments with pyre-

throid-type insecticides. Most were active in the bug's

cuticle, and block or slow an insecticide from reaching

the nerve cells where it can kill. In addition to this

first-line of defense, Zhu's team discovered that bed-

bugs have developed a second layer of protection. In

case insecticides slip past the armor, other genes kick

in to prevent the toxins from attacking the nervous

system.

Zhu says the findings suggest that development of

new pesticides should focus on chemicals that shut

down or mute genes in the cuticle that thwart today's

pesticides. New pesticides alone, however, will not be

enough to cope with the bed bug resurgence. Zhu

cited evidence that bed bugs in laboratory colonies

exposed to lethal doses of pyrethroids begin to devel-

op resistance within a few generations, which can be

less than one year.

"It reminds us how quickly a new insecticide can be-

come ineffective," she says. "In the future, efficient

bedbug management should not rely on any single

insecticide. We need to combine as many chemical

and non-chemical approaches as we have to get rid of

the infestation."

She cited, specifically, integrated pest management

for bed bugs, approaches in which careful use of pes-

ticides combines with other, common-sense

measures. Those include removing bedroom clutter

where bed bugs can hide, frequent vacuuming of dust

and other debris, washing bed linens in hot water and

heat-drying in a dryer, and sealing cracks and crevic-

es to eliminate hiding places.

Zhu's colleagues with the University of Kentucky in-

clude Subba R. Palli, Ph.D.; Kenneth F. Haynes, PhD;

Michael F. Potter,

PhD; Hemant Gujar; and Jennifer R. Gordon.

For more information on the bed bug problem: http://

www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/publications/bed_bugs_cdc-

epa_statement.htm.

SCIENTISTS EXPLAIN HOW BED BUGS SHRUG OFF PESTICIDES

NEWS BITES

12

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

SIR RICHARD BRANSON PLANTS ONE OF AUCKLAND'S PROMISED MILLION MORE TREES

Billionaire philanthropist Sir Richard Branson has made his

mark in Auckland this afternoon, planting one of the million

trees mayor Phil Goff has promised over the next three years.

Branson is here ahead of a fundraising dinner where he will

be quizzed by former Prime Minister John Key.

In a fly-by visit to Shakespear Regional Park north of Auckland

this afternoon Branson appeared delighted with New Zea-

land's fauna, saying no where else in the world had made the

same commitment to eradicating pests.

The Government has committed to making New Zealand

predator-free by 2050.

Entrepreneurs needed to play their part in helping govern-

ments and social groups come up with solutions to the

world's problems, Branson said.

"We at Virgin play quite a big role in protecting species and

it's great to see it happening here," a slightly puffed Branson

told the Herald as he walked through the regional park.

"The latest move to aim at getting rid of species by 2050 is

tremendous, I think you're the only country in the world

that's made that pledge.

"The difference it will make to forest and other species is dra-

matic."

After arriving on a helicopter from Waiheke Island with Goff,

Branson had time to briefly admire our bird life and plant a

tree before flying off again less than an hour later.

Branson said Goff's plan to plant a million more mainly native

trees around Auckland over the next three years was a

"wonderful initiative".

He and Goff planted a native mahoe tree and a pigeon wood,

with Branson joking he wanted a camera set up so he could

watch the tree grow back home in England.

Branson, who was last on our shores in 2011 for an Outward

Bound fundraising gala, said he was pleased to be back and

credited Kiwis for having an open friendliness.

"I think it's lovely to be in a country where the biggest prob-

lems that you seem to be facing is how to get rid of rats."

Branson, who founded the Virgin Group, is one of the world's

most well-known entrepreneurs and philanthropists.

The billionaire has been named among the BBC's 100 greatest

Britons and counts working with Nelson Mandela and former

UN Secretary Kofi Annan among his humanitarian achieve-

ments.

Branson counts the Obamas among his famous friends,

hosting them in the British Virgin Islands following the end of

Barack Obama's presidency in February where they were

joined by Weekend Herald columnist Michelle "Nanogirl"

Dickinson.

NZ Herald - http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11825552

Phil Goff and Richard Branson plant trees at Shakespear Regional Park today. Photo / Dean Purcell

13

14

NORTHLAND STUDENTS WAGE WAR AGAINST RODENTS

Project Rodent participants Keegan Imms and Blake Weenink (Tauraroa Area School) set rat traps in Whangarei

with NRC biosecurity staff member Pete Graham and Paul Dimery.

It wasn't quite the story of the Pied Piper when the

Northland Regional Council brought young people and

rats together.

Still, the outcome will mean fewer vermin invading

Northland's environment.

More than 20 students from three schools gathered in

Whangarei recently to gain hands-on knowledge of con-

trolling rats and mice, through the council-assisted Envi-

roschools programme's first Project Rodent.

The rodent training comes after the success in recent

years of similar programmes, Project Possum and Pro-

ject Mustelid.

Councillor Paul Dimery said the latest project targeted

the two most common rats in New Zealand - Norway

and ship - as well as the common house mouse.

The students from Tauraroa Area School and Otamatea

and Whangarei Girls' High Schools learned about rodent

pest control, biology and environmental impacts.

A hands-on skills workshop, the trial included the stu-

dents setting trap and bait stations in a variety of habi-

tats.

The course was held at Kiwi North in Whangarei and,

like its possum and mustelid forerunners, offered partic-

ipants the chance to earn NCEA unit standard credits.

Tutukaka-based Mr Dimery said he was pleased to see

young people taking an interest in pest control.

"[The] council invests a great deal of time and money on

behalf of ratepayers working with Northland communi-

ties to control a large number of pests - animal and

plant - in and around the region, both on land and wa-

ter.

"Coincidentally this Project Rodent training comes just

as we're beginning an extensive public consultation pro-

cess which include how pests are managed through our

Northland Regional Pest and Marine Pathway Manage-

ment Plan."

Information on rodents, other pest animals and weeds

is available from the regional council's website via

www.nrc.govt.nz/pestcontrolhub.

- Northern Advocatehttp://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/article.cfm?c_id=16&objectid=11822189

15

WHAKATANE: SAVING KIWI WITH A SOUVENIR TRAP

Our trap has taken out four stoats, one weasel and a hedgehog. Photo / Neil Robert Hutton

I've bought some pretty quirky stuff while travelling. Lately

there have been a lot of carved wooden weapons; I blame

the 10-year-old for those. There have also been a fair few

musical instruments: stringed, percussion and even a

wooden tank that doubles as a music box. As for the erro-

neous snow globes from tropical climes, there's something

so hard to resist about snow falling on palm trees. But the

best souvenir I think I've ever bought is the stoat trap I

picked up after a trip to Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty.

In the Bay we met up with Lynda Walter from the Wha-katane Kiwi Trust and she told us all about the amazing work being done by the trust's wonderful team, most of whom are volunteers. Having started out with four naturally occurring kiwi pairs

in 2000, the area around Ohope Beach has become some-

thing of a wildlife sanctuary, even though there is no fence

to keep the predators out.

Today it is estimated there are more than 125 kiwi pairs in

residence within the project area, and one of the keys to

that growing population is pest control.

When Lynda told us that for just $135 a year we could be

the proud owners of our own trap, I couldn't resist and

when I returned home I put my credit card to good use.

Since the Whakatane Kiwi Trust paired up with the Wha-

katane West Rotary Club, that $135 donation supports

both organisations to service, maintain and expand the

predator trap network within the Whakatane Kiwi Project

area, and now my son and I are part of the team.

And the neatest thing is we can visit the Whakatane Kiwi

Trust website to keep tabs on how many kills our trap has

achieved and where we stand on the leader board. Not

wanting to brag, but in just three months we've taken sev-

en lives which puts us way out in front of the other spon-

sors. Our trap has taken out four stoats, one weasel and a

hedgehog.

And I do apologise to the more sensitive souls reading this;

I know it sounds bloodthirsty but the trap is humane and

the benefits to our native bird population more than make

up for any sorrow you might feel for the mammalian car-

nage.

While staying in Ohope over Christmas, my son and I

thought we'd check up on the lives we'd helped protect by

doing the self-guided kiwi walk around the Fairbrother

Track in the Ohope Scenic Reserve.

Waiting for dark to fall, we tiptoed around the one-hour

loop track and, while we didn't see any kiwi, we heard their

call as well as the tell-tale rustle of the birds scuttling about

in the bush. There were even glow-worms, which were re-

ward enough for staying up past our bedtimes.

Without a doubt, that stoat trap is the best souvenir we've

ever bought and, what's more, it's tax-deductible.

Further information: See whakatanekiwi.org.nz/donation for more on sponsoring a stoat trap.

- NZ Herald

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=11583594

16

Article continues on the next page

1000 DEAD PESTS - AND TAUPO PAIR WANT MORE

1000 AND COUNTING: Hadlee Cade made a special trip up to Taupo to help his father Didymo Dave clear the

1000th pest - a stoat - from the pair's trap line on the Hinemaiaia River.

It all started on a winter's morning in 2007 when

Dave 'Didymo Dave' Cade went fishing on the

Hinemaiaia River south of Taupo.

He left his bag on the bank and began fishing his

favourite pool. When daylight came, he stopped

for a cuppa and a snack. But when he picked up

his sandwich in keen anticipation of a feed, he

discovered a great hunk of it missing.

A week later it happened again and this time, in-

trigued and more than a little annoyed at missing

his breakfast, Dave realised the culprits were rats.

He swore revenge.

"Right you little sucker, you're dead."

The next time he went fishing he took a trap. He

got a rat, then another, then another. A week lat-

er, he got a weasel.

Dave began looking into the pest situation and

was horrified to discover that although he had

never seen any vermin on the stream, they were

everywhere, and worse, they were preying on the

birds.

"By this time my son Hadlee and I were getting

uncomfortable. We were asking ourselves 'what's

going on?', and the more we trapped, the more

we realised that the lovely little birds we enjoyed

seeing while we were fishing were in danger.

While we were snoring our heads off at night in a

warm bed, these defenceless beautiful little birds

and their chicks were being slaughtered."

So Dave and Hadlee scrounged some recycled

timber and old trap mechanisms, built themselves

some box traps and began trapping pests in the

Hinemaiaia River valley. Before long, they had 130

traps, and as the numbers of trapped vermin in-

creased, the pair began to understand there was

a major, albeit unseen, problem with vermin.

They were catching rats, stoats and weasels, but

seldom seeing them in daylight because they are

mostly nocturnal.

17

February 17 this year was a milestone day for the

pair's efforts, with the 1000th pest caught. Over the

years they have caught 809 rats, 100 stoats and 91

weasels. What's more Dave says the effect on bird

life has been dramatic, with more birds evident.

"It's now common to see North Island robins, tom-

tits, whiteheads throughout the valley as well as tui,

bellbirds and kereru."

Dave says the catch rate over the years has re-

mained unchanged, with usually one in every five

traps holding a dead pest when checked every

three weeks or so. While Dave says his and Hadlee's

efforts are only small compared to organised pest

management groups such as the one at Pukawa at

the other end of the lake, it's still proof that getting

involved can make a difference.

"It doesn't matter how big it is, it wouldn't matter if

we had only pulled 200 or 300 pests out, it's made a

difference."

With 130 box traps in the Hinemaiaia, including 15

self-resetting traps, Dave is continuing the work. A

thousand dead pests isn't anywhere near enough.

"If you take [the pests] out you create a vacuum

and they pour in from outside, but we've obviously

created enough of a gap for birds to breed."

By Laurilee McMichael - Rotorua Daily Post

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=11815824

18

ENVIRONMENT MINISTER DR NICK SMITH ANNOUNCES NEW 1080 RULES

The use of poisons including 1080 and brodifacoum will be subject to new rules after concern about inconsistency between different regional rules.

The use of poisons including 1080 and brodifacoum will be

subject to new rules after concern about inconsistency be-

tween different regional rules.

Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith made the announce-

ment while visiting Tiritiri Matangi Sanctuary in the Hauraki

Gulf.

"I know there is opposition to poisons like 1080 and brodi-

facoum but they are essential tools to saving New Zea-

land's natural heritage.

"The change will not increase any of the risks around the

use of these poisons...It is expected to save $11 million

over the next 20 years, enabling more pests to be con-

trolled and more species saved."

The new national regulations will start from April 1, and are

approved under the Resource Management Act.

Smith said the new approach would standardise the rules

for using poisons like 1080.

Currently there are different rules according to what region

the poison is used in.

The change was advocated for by the Parliamentary Com-

missioner for the Environment, who expressed concern

about the duplication and inconsistency between regional

rules.

The Government has recently tightened up regulations

around 1080, after a blackmail scare that cost the country

millions of dollars.

Jeremy Hamish Kerr was jailed last July after admitting two

counts of blackmail over the 1080 scandal, which made

global headlines.

In November 2014, Kerr mixed highly concentrated

amounts of the poison with baby milk formula and posted

them to the dairy co-op and to Federated Farmers, with a

letter demanding the country stop using 1080 or he would

release poisoned infant milk powder into the Chinese mar-

ket and one unspecified market.

The Ministry of Primary Industries moved to secure the

safety of the dairy supply chain, testing 150,000 samples,

and the blackmail letters triggered an unprecedented po-

lice investigation. The blackmail case cost the country more

than $37 million.

In response the government introduced new controls for

all workplaces and laboratories using sodium fluoroacetate

(1080), including a requirement for holders of 1080 to noti-

fy the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the quan-

tity and supplier.

Any new imports require an import certificate from the

EPA before it can be collected from the New Zealand Cus-

toms Service. Laboratory managers must also ensure that

1080 is securely locked up when not in use.

19

In announcing the Government's target for New Zealand

to be predator-free by 2050 last July, Conservation Minis-

ter Maggie Barry said 1080 poison would continue to play

a key role.

"It is always going to be the weapon of choice in the battle

to get rid of these vermin in the very steep country," she

said.

1080 has been widely used in New Zealand against pests

such as rats, stoats and opossum, and has faced fierce op-

position from some, partly because pest-baiting cam-

paigns in the past have killed non-target species such as

dogs, cattle and deer.

A majority of scientists support the use of 1080 in pest

control, and their work has been important in devising

more effective ways to spread 1080 baits and to reduce

the amount of actual poison in pellets laced with the sub-

stance.

In June 2011 Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan

Wright issued perhaps the most significant study on the

use of 1080 in New Zealand. It was released at a time sup-

porters and opponents of 1080 were at loggerheads with

calls for a moratorium on its use. Her conclusions signifi-

cantly pushed the debate towards continued use of the

pesticide, though she stressed the need for its safe appli-

cation.

Dr Wright said New Zealand did not have an alternative

method of effectively killing possums, rats and stoats.

What is 1080?

Sodium monofluoroacetate, commonly known as 1080, is

a fine white powder. It has a slight odour and taste and is

said to dissolve easily in water.

While manufactured 1080 is a highly lethal poison to many

species, the active ingredient, fluoroacetate, is identical to

a substance that occurs naturally in many poisonous

plants. These plants are found in Brazil, Africa, and Aus-

tralia.

1080 comes in several forms, usually in small dyed green

pellets, but also sprayed carrot baits, pastes and gels.

How long has it been used here?

1080 has been used in New Zealand for pest control since

the mid-1950s and is the only poison registered for aerial

drops. It is also used in Australia, the United States, Mexi-

co and Israel. New Zealand uses about 80 per cent of the

world's production of manufactured 1080.

How does it work?

Whether laid on the ground, or dropped from the sky in

large remote areas, the 1080 is eaten by the animal.

If enough is ingested, the poison disrupts the process of

breaking down food to provide energy for cells to func-

tion. Once the animal has run out of energy, it dies from

heart or respiratory failure.

Herbivores like possums become lethargic, and usually die

within 6-18 hours from cardiac failure. Carnivores experi-

ence problems with their central nervous systems and

may suffer convulsions before dying.

What are the risks?

1080 is extremely toxic to many animals, and dogs are par-

ticularly sensitive.

In 2007, West Coast man Ryan Fitzmaurice's pet Labrador,

Tigger, died after eating a possum that had 1080 in its sys-

tem.

The possum had been poisoned by a drop near his home.

Fitzmaurice was offered undisclosed compensation by the

pest control company. Humans are also at risk if they in-

gest 1080.

What measures are taken to keep the public and their

animals safe?

DoC must meet strict Ministry of Health conditions before

getting a permit for a 1080 operation.

DoC must also talk to communities where 1080 operations

are planned, let the public know an operation is going

ahead and put up signs to show areas where poisoning has

taken place.

- NZ Herald http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11807877

20

Hazardous Substances (Hazardous Property Controls) Notice (Five Options)

The five options EPA are proposing are outlined in the table below. It is likely that the final notice will include multiple op-

tions. Included in the table are issues they have identified for each option. In reviewing these options, please remember that

the focus of these should be to ensure protection of the environment. Responsibility for setting controls to manage risks to

people (both workers and bystanders) is with the new HSW HS legislation. Careerforce has identified that they can support

either the New Zealand unit standard option (which is a partial qualification) or the New Zealand Certificate option. They are

keen to work with EPA and other industry stakeholders to find a solution that results in a workforce that is safe, productive,

recognised and valued. They identified impacts on cost and access of the options available and have offered to provide some

guidance on these once your feedback has been received.

Option Issue

Option A

Require UPM operators to obtain New Zealand Certificate in Pest Operations (Level 3) (Urban Pest Control)

The EPA notes that some submitters had a view that the (old) National Certificate was set at too high a level for the EPA to adopt as a national minimum require-ment, and that this certificate is a higher level qualification than the current ap-proved handler certificate.

However, the EPA also notes that the October 2016 consultation was during a period of transition from the National Certificate to the New Zealand Certificate, and the impact of this may not have been realised by submitters.

We would like to gain a better understanding of any issues with the new New Zea-land Certificate, in particular are the competencies in the qualification fit for pur-pose and if not what, why not, or are the issues related to accessibility or cost. The relevant ITO (Careerforce) will work with us and other industry stakeholders to address identified issues.

Option B

Require UPM operators to obtain three unit standards from the New Zealand Certificate in Pest Operations (Level 3) (Urban Pest Control). The relevant unit standards are:

Unit standard 28786 Demonstrate knowledge of the purpose and impacts of urban pest management

Unit standard 28787 Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative framework and regulatory controls governing the urban pest management industry

Either Unit standard 28791 Apply pest management services in the urban pest management industry

OR

Unit standard 28790 Identify pests, assess pest activity and rec-ommend integrated pest management or a standard treatment.

The EPA is aware that these unit standards which make up 20 credits of the New Zealand Certificate are not currently able to be attained as a standalone pro-gramme.

Nevertheless, we want to gauge whether people think it is more appropriate to achieve a partial qualification rather than the full New Zealand Certificate as the national minimum standard.

Refer Question 2 below.

Option C

Require that UPM operators obtain the following three core units from the Australian Pest Management Qualification “CPP30911 Cer-tificate III in Pest Management”. These are the three units currently required to obtain a UPM Licence in Australia.

CPPMT3005A Modify environment to manage pests

CPPMT3006A Apply pesticides to manage pests

CPPMT30018B Maintain equipment and chemical storage areas

Prior to confirming this as a viable option, there will need to be an equivalency test carried out to determine if these three units can be recognised within the New Zealand framework.

It would also need to be confirmed that this option would be (widely) acces-sible to people in NZ.

Refer Question 3 below.

Option D

Attendance at an industry-approved course for UPM operators.

This option may be problematic as there would need to be some way of having assurance that the course was of a suitable quality, fit-for-purpose and the assess-ment or other outcomes of the course met the agreed standards.

Refer Question 4 below.

Option E

Not require any (HSNO) qualifications for UPM operators (acknowledging that operators will need to comply with the general duties for training etc required under the HSW legislation)

Most submitters supported the HPC Notice including qualification requirements for UPM operators to replace the class 9 approved handler control in order to ensure continued management of risks in this area.

Refer Question 5 below.

21

TECHNICAL HINTS

Biscuit beetles (Stegobium paniceum ) are one of the most common species of stored product insect pest encountered in the

global food industry. Their food preferences are wide ranging, encompassing cereal-based foods such as dry dough, dry pet

food, soup powders, breakfast cereals and (unsurprisingly) biscuits.

The common name used for this species in much of the world, the drugstore beetle, highlights that it is a species that will

devour most materials of plant origin, including such toxic plant materials as strychnine. Their wide-ranging taste in dried

plant matter also makes them a potentially highly destructive pest in museum and herbarium collections.

Biscuit beetles are excellent flyers, even at relatively low temperatures. They are closely related to, and look very like, the

woodworm beetle (Anobium punctatum) and, like that species, both adult and larvae have well developed mouthpart. As a

result, they are excellent penetrators of food packaging materials, including paper, plastic films and foils. For the scientists

amongst you, biscuit beetles harbour symbiotic yeasts that produce B vitamins. These yeasts are deposited on the eggs as

they pass through the oviduct of the female beetle and are consumed by the larvae during egg hatch. These yeasts enable

the larvae to feed and survive on foods of poor nutritional quality.

In short, this is a highly adaptable species, which is found widely in commercial, industrial, leisure and residential environ-

ments. In the food industry, it is found right through the supply chain.

Like many stored product insect species with a short-lived adult stage, the female biscuit beetle produces a pheromone to

attract males. Unlike the storage moth sex pheromones, this pheromone, stegobinone (2,3-dihydro-2,3,5trimethyl-6-(1-

methyl-2-oxobutyl)-4H-pyran-4) has a complex structure, and indications are that it has proved very difficult to synthesise in

sufficient quantity to be used for commercial monitoring purposes.

There are a small number of commercially available 'pheromone' lures on the market which specifically target biscuit bee-

tles. It is generally unclear from the manufacturers’ literature exactly what the attractant is. Talk to your supplier about the

right pheromone lure for this pest - there are a number available.