A biocontrol agent has been released on a farm near Georgetown, North Otago, in the continuing effort to combat clover root weevil.
The presence of the weevil in the area was confirmed in May but the survey indicated a limited distribution in the area.
By releasing the agent while the population was still in a build-up phase, AgResearch entomologists believed the wasp would suppress CRW before significant damage was done to white clover in the area.
The tiny parasitic wasp, first released in New Zealand in 2006, could never entirely eliminate CRW but it could suppress the pest within a year or two of arriving in an area, alleviating some of the pressure on pastures and on farmers' pockets.