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Fun Fact

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30 Jan 25 Biosecurity News

Fun Fact

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Our industry-led exotic stink bug surveillance system in the Bay of Plenty has kicked off again this year, thanks to industry organisations working alongside us, and as well as the standard sticky pheromone traps that have been used in previous years, some of the sites now also include one of these – an aerodynamic trap.

These Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) traps are shaped like a windvane which helps the pheromone travel further, attracting more stink bugs to the area.

Originally trialled in kiwifruit in Italy through co-funding from the Zespri Biosecurity Innovation portfolio, it was exciting to see this research being implemented last year on a field visit with other members of the BMSB Council, and now we’ve got eight of our own as part of this year’s industry surveillance network at 14 sites – mainly pack-houses - from Mount Maunganui and Te Puke to Te Puna and Katikati.

Our surveillance enhances nationwide efforts while raising awareness of stink bugs across the kiwifruit industry and providing practical, tangible monitoring activities. Importantly, it also builds capability within the industry for any stink bug response, whether that be specifically dedicated to kiwifruit or to assist in joint efforts involving other industries.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) oversees the national BMSB surveillance programme, which operates on an entry risk basis, using lure traps and vegetation searches on a fortnightly basis during the high-risk season of September through to the end April each year. Most trapping efforts are concentrated in the main centres, primarily Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

Read more about BMSB, including latest detection data, here.

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