Published by the Entomological Society of America
By Ravneel Chand and Belinda Cridge, Ph.D.

Editor's Note: Here at Entomology Today , integrated pest management is a vital subject, though one usually examined through its application to insect and arthropod pests. But IPM is a framework for management of all kinds of pests, and the Entomological Society of America's Journal of Integrated Pest Management welcomes research from beyond the confines of entomology. Today we share a look at a new case study in jipm on brushtail possums, a major pest in New Zealand, and state of IPM approaches toward it.

There are calls for pest control measures to stop possums from attacking the large tree and other giant rātā in the Akatarawa Forest, in Wellington.

The case is building for the government to take a serious look at the role genetic technologies could play in New Zealand - even replacing the controversial use of 1080. ​

Orange-fronted parakeets will still get protection but some mohua populations miss out as DoC reduces the area of forest being covered by 1080 poison. David Williams reports.
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Predator-killing aerial 1080 poison drops planned across the country will be shrink by 100,000 hectares, and cost millions of dollars more, because of the severity of this year's mega mast.

A pest-culling operation on 12,500 ha north of Dunedin is aimed at decimating the possum population by poisoning and trapping.
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OSPRI has sent pamphlets to residents in the area informing them of the next stages of its work over the next two years.

For more than 30 years Project Crimson has led efforts to save New Zealand's pōhutukawa and rātā trees, which were on the point of extinction in the 1980s.
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Now, the organization is supporting the use of 1080 to control the introduced animal pests that it says are wreaking havoc on the country's unique biodiversity.

A far North community that pitched in to save an ancient forest from possums and rats now has a new enemy to contend with - kauri dieback.

​Warawara forest in North Hokianga has been bouncing back after a 1080 poison drop last spring and intensive trapping on surrounding farmland.

But scientists have now confirmed the presence of the kauri killing pathogen phytopthera agathidicida (PTA) around trees on private land in the Puapua area, just north west of the forest.

Via RadioNZ

1080 poison will be dropped over hundreds of thousands hectares this winter as part of the largest ever pest control operation in New Zealand.

The government has today announced $20.7 million of new operating funding as part of the 2015/16 budget.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry said the country's largest pest control operation was being conducted to fight against the rise in the pest population expected over the winter months which threaten native wildlife.

Opinion: a new possum control effort across the Rimutaka Ranges aims to rid New Zealand of bovine tuberculosis, says Matthew Hall.

An aerial possum control operation is planned for the Southern Rimutaka Ranges this spring as part of the drive towards eventual eradication of bovine tuberculosis from New Zealand.

The operation proposed for September is supported by the Department of Conservation, and community consultation and public meetings have been scheduled to determine the exact size of the control area, water supplies and exclusion zones.
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The proposed area includes the East Harbour Regional Park where the Eastbourne forest rangers have been performing effective possum control since 1933, and the Orongorongo Valley, where community groups such as the Moa Conservation Trust have contributed enormously to supporting biodiversity with voluntary possum control. The wider Southern Rimutaka area has not been treated with an aerial operation before.

Radio New Zealand

The drop is part of a strategy will target a plague of rats and possums threatening native species in the ranges.

It will be made in three stages over two weeks, starting today with non-toxic bait to get the pests used to it, and the poison will follow in about a week.

Auckland Council said a total of about 50 tonnes of bait would be dropped over 21,500 hectares.

Listen to the bulletin on Radio New Zealand here