Cereal pellets are due to rain from a helicopter in the Silver Peaks today to tempt possums to eat poison later this month.
Ospri southern South Island programme manager Brent Rohloff said a possum control operation would begin today with the distribution of non-toxic tan-coloured cereal pellets by helicopter.
The aerial drop would cover about 8600ha, including the Silver Stream catchment.
The "prefeed" was designed to give possums a taste for the pellets and to overcome "bait shyness".
The drop could be completed in a day, but needed clear weather and might finish tomorrow.
He warned people of the risk of ‘‘falling objects’’ during the prefeed operation.
Warning signs would be installed at public access points to the area, he said.
The 1080 poison drop in the area could start a week to 10 days after the prefeed but was weather dependent.
