A new pest for kauri?
Take a moment to turn over a kauri leaf and see if you can find this scale insect
Stephen Thorpe, a contract entomologist working from the University of Auckland, Tamaki Campus noted a potentially new scale affecting planted kauri (Agathis australis) trees at Britomart Square, Auckland Central.
(Photo of scale insect on kauri taken by P J de Lange)
The scale, possibly a species of Leucaspis was first collected in late 2014 by SCION staff examining kauri plantings but for some reason its significance seems to have gone unnoticed until earlier this week when Thorpe independently noted the scale at Britomart Square. Since then there have been five more discoveries of the scale made in inner and western Auckland - so far only on planted trees.
Find out more on the NZPCN website.