The Painted Apple Moth is a pest, but how to get rid of it?
Yes, everybody agrees that the Painted Apple Moth is a pest and is a huge threat to our native bush, horticulture, and forestry. PAM (short for Painted Apple Moth) is a native of Australia and is thought to have come to New Zealand in or on a shipping container. The moth was first found in New Zealand, in West Auckland in May MAF (the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) have no other way apart from aerial spraying to eradicate the PAM. The Public Health Service say the spray is not toxic to people but the Community action group say no long term health studies on the spray has ever been done. This is because some people are known to have experienced side – effects from the spray. So the situation as I see it is that there are two sides of this debate.
I strongly believe that there are no other alternatives to reach the moth high up in the canopy other than aerial spraying. If the spraying were to be stopped, there would be a huge problem with the caterpillars eating our native trees. The spray should keep going until they’ve eradicated PAM, people just aren't giving it a chance. The spray is not toxic, some people just think they’re sick and they get it in their mind and then it makes them feel sick. The PAM is not just a threat to our native bush, its also destroying our horticulture and forestry. And those are important to New Zealand because we export fruit, veggies and timber to other countries around the world. So what I’m getting from this is that not many people care about our native forestry and they’re just going to sit back and watch the PAM destroy our native plants until there is nothing left.
Here’s what a kid had to say about the spraying -: Instead of spraying, I think they should get some bags and have marks on the bags. Then they should get kids to collect the PAM caterpillars. If they fill the bags up to the first mark, then they get paid one dollar, up to the second mark, they get two dollars, and so on. But who would want to touch this ugly thing... Here’s what 12 year old Aaria had to say about the spraying -: “I think, if people don’t feel safe around the spray then they should pack up their things and leave the area while spraying, because the caterpillars can’t go somewhere else and be sprayed. Also if people don’t like the spray and don’t want to leave their homes they can just go inside and shut their doors and windows. It’s not like we’re asking them to leave their homes forever.”
If we spray we’re saving the lives of millions of our native trees. But at the end of the day it’s your own opinion that really counts.