PARKSIDE

The Positives of Pest Control

Sometimes it can be easy to lose sight of the benefits of all the pest control work going on in our region; day to day life quickly becomes the norm and we become accustomed to seeing things around us and lose sight of what is going on in the background.

As a pest detection dog handler, I’ve had the opportunity to see places that have always been pest free and places that have had predator proof fences, creating islands amongst areas rife with pests. It is fascinating to see the differences and experience what flourishes with pest control. I’ve stood on islands surrounded by abundant kiekie flowers, the likes of which I’ve never seen on the mainland, visited sanctuaries at night and seen the increase in moths as you get closer to the fence and had to fight my way amongst a thick growth of native seedlings that are the exact age of the predator fence.

It is heart-warming to see certain plants flourish locally that don’t have a chance beyond areas without pest control such as kiekie flowering and fruiting or astelia bearing long flowers that become bejewelled with beautiful fruit over autumn. Both plants are a favourite of possums and rats and simply don’t get the chance to fruit or flower without intense pest control. It’s also fantastic to hear the wēta at night, a favourite food of ruru (moreporks), or find pūriri moths in spring. While we are not surrounded by truly intense pest control there will still be a need to work hard to achieve these treasured things. When we do see them, we know that a lot of work has gone into creating a healthy biodiversity which we are in desperate need of supporting if we are to continue to survive on this amazing planet.

Indeed, it has been great to work in Miramar (with their predator free goal) over the past couple of years and in some areas, it is astounding to see the ground move with tiny skinks or the clouds of insects in the air with an abundance of pīwakawaka feasting on them. A recent study in Miramar showed an increase of pīwakawaka by 550% since 2017. Wēta hotels are now overflowing with wēta and riroriro (grey warblers), calling a constant