Spotted this egg mass?

We’ve had two reports in two weeks of grey eggs on fruit, from growers who have done exactly the right thing and sent great photos through as soon as they’ve noticed them.

With the help of Plant & Food Research expertise we were able to ID the finds as eggs of the New Zealand cutworm, a moth that is endemic and found throughout the country. Fortunately, it is not of concern to kiwifruit so no further action is required in either report.

Interestingly, the adult moths are on the wing all year round and can vary greatly in appearance – the cutworm is also adept at existing in a variety of native and modified habitats.

These recent reports are a great reminder of the importance of reporting anything unusual, including egg rafts or insects, which you can now also do online as well as contacting KVH at 0800 665 825.

Image below: Left - New Zealand cutworm egg mass as reported to KVH. Right - Moth form.