The trusted voice of the industry
for more than 30 years

Samurai wasps a solution to stink bugs

A New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) report has made a case for introducing Samurai wasps as a response to brown Marmorated stink bugs (BMSB) if they become established in New Zealand.
Posted on 27 February, 2018

The Ministry for Primary Industries has introduced new measures against BMSB after turning away car-carrying ships that were discovered to be contaminated with the bug earlier this month. The incident has highlighted how exposed the local economy is to the bug. Horticulture New Zealand asked NZIER to estimate the potential impacts of an incursion of BMSB on the New Zealand economy. “The initial GDP impacts are relatively minor… As BMSB takes hold more firmly, the GDP impacts become more significant,” the report said. “By 2038, the GDP losses grow to between $1.8 billion and $3.6 billion.” The horticulture sector would also suffer considerably from BMSB. “Focusing on the horticulture sector, total horticultural export values (i.e. considering both volume and price impacts) fall by between $1.4 billion in 2028; and by between $2.0 billion and $4.2 billion in 2038. Arrival of BMSB would reduce crop yields, increase costs, and lower the export value for exports, the report said. At the same time, it would impact on employment, wages, and result in a poorer standard of living, it said. The Samurai wasp is a natural enemy of the stink bug and said to be one of the most effective controls. The female wasp destroys between 63 per cent and 85 per cent of BMSB eggs. “While there is some uncertainty around the precise magnitude of these losses, overall, our modelling demonstrates that the economic costs of BMSB would be much lower if a BCA (Samurai wasp) were approved and introduced into New Zealand to manage the spread of BMSB. The mitigating effects of a BCA (Samurai wasp) are far greater than simply using more chemicals,” the report concluded. To read the report click here