News and events

How we got our name

This research programme was formerly known by a different name. The programme name was changed in September 2024 following community feedback. In February and July, 2024 a delegation of our project team visited Taranaki to identify surveillance sites for vagrant moths, aerial microbes, and airflow along the western coast of Taranaki, an area known for its influx of wind-dispersed organisms.

Engagement and outreach are made possible through our collaboration with Taranaki Mounga Project (TMP), a partnership involving the Department of Conservation, the Taranaki iwi Chairs Forum, and various investors. During our engagement, it became apparent that the original programme name, Protecting Aotearoa from Aerial Invaders in a Changing Climate, was inappropriate, given Taranaki Māori historical experiences with invasion.

To foster greater inclusion and respect for our partners, we adopted a new name that retains the urgency and importance of our work while being more considerate of local sensitivities. The programme is now known as Protecting Aotearoa from wind-dispersed pests.

Newsletter - August 2024

This is the first of a series of bi-annual newsletters covering the progress, team and serendipitous discoveries made during the life of this research programme.

Long-term ‘airbridge’ maps pave the way for optimised surveillance

Our team has made significant strides in developing a comprehensive 30-year database (1994-2023) mapping ‘airbridge’ connections between New Zealand and its neighbouring landmasses. These ‘airbridges’—known as Lagrangian Coherent Structures—are persistent atmospheric pathways that facilitate the long-distance transport of materials in the atmosphere. Our research reveals these airbridges not only carry passive materials such as rust spores, dust, and smoke but also serve as conduits for migrating moths and butterflies traveling across oceans. This work allows us to pinpoint which regions in New Zealand are most exposed to potential pest arrivals from neighbouring areas.

Our maps illustrate that New Zealand’s western coast is frequently linked to Australia, while the eastern coast, spanning from Northland to Gisborne, often connects to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa, in descending order of frequency, over the past three decades. This data can help identify key surveillance sites should a new pest emerge from these regions. We are in the process of developing an interactive web tool that will enable stakeholders to explore and analyse this 30-year dataset in greater detail.

Stay tuned for more updates! It’s important to note that this analysis does not yet consider the biological factors affecting different pests’ survival during their atmospheric journey, nor does it account for the direction of travel. These aspects will be addressed in future studies and incorporated into the final ASaP model.

Look at the size of that moth!

Look at the size of that moth.

During our recent visit to Taranaki, our team had the opportunity to explore the Puke Ariki museum, home to a unique collection of vagrant moths assembled by Dr. Ken Fox. An amateur entomologist from the 1970s and 1980s, Dr. Fox meticulously gathered these specimens from oil rigs and his residence in Manaia, near the Taranaki coast. His collection provides compelling evidence of the frequent arrival of vagrant moths in this region. We were particularly struck by the impressive size of some of these moths, which likely migrated from Australia. In one striking example, programme lead Ilze Pretorius is seen pointing to a fruit-piercing moth that is the size of her palm! This impressive specimen made its way to New Zealand unscathed after a journey of thousands of kilometers. We aim to compare the results from our ongoing moth surveillance in Taranaki with Dr. Fox’s historic collection to determine whether there have been changes in the species or frequency of these moth arrivals over time.

A pest hitch hiking on a pest?

We are undertaking experiments to determine the survival rates of poplar rust spores under various temperature and ultraviolet conditions that might be encountered during trans-Tasman travel. We collected poplar rust from across the North Island and have cultivated it on poplar plants. During germination tests of these rust samples, our team made an intriguing discovery: the mycoparasite Sphaerellopsis filum was observed consuming the poplar rust spores. While this fungus is welldocumented internationally, it represents only the second recorded instance of this species in New Zealand.This finding highlights an additional biosecurity concern: not only do rust spores pose a risk, but so do the parasites that may accompany them on their journey to New Zealand. With over 100 native rust species forming part of our native ecosystems, the potential threat from exotic microparasites hitching a ride on rust spores is a matter of significant concern.

Team day - August 2024

The lead team behind the research programme brought together the science teams, national and international collaborators, and the Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) to share progress and ideas at the end of August in Christchurch.

Members of the PAC gathered in Scion’s Christchurch office where they heard updates from the scientists about key research areas and discussed the programme. The PAC includes representatives from Te Tira Whakamātaki, MPI, co-funder Foundation for Arable Research (FAR), co-funder Te Uru Kahika, Forest Owners Association (FOA), NZ Winegrowers, Department of Conservation, Beef & Lamb and Horticulture NZ, and more. International guests from partner organisation Virginia Tech, USA also travelled to New Zealand to attend.

The next day, about 35 members of the multi-organisation science team gathered at the Sudima Hotel, Christchurch. The aim was to unite the team and talk about how everyone’s work fits with the wider programme as well as how to improve the programme. They also aimed to identify opportunities to communicate the science to ensure effective dissemination of outputs​.

The science team includes representatives from national and international organisations including Scion, AgResearch, University of Canterbury, NIWA, Plant and Food, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Taranaki Mounga Project, Taranaki Regional Council and researchers from Virginia Tech.

The research area teams also discussed next steps, working together and diving deeper into the science.

Science team and Programme Advisory Committee meetings.