Bell Miner Control Strategies Needed.

["patrick dickson" <>]

Dear Friends

I have a 30 acre coastal bush block south of Bermagui on the NSW far South Coast.

A neighbouring block of a similar size, unlogged I guess for over one hundred years, is the home of a large colony of Bell Miners and the damage to the trees there has reached the point where virtually all the mature trees are either dead or doomed. It is a tragic sight.

The colony is spreading and enlarging its territory. The colony now has a foot hold on my property and the health of the mature trees and the diversity of bird life is being threatened. Bell Miners are fiercely territorial and will harrass any 'intruder'. I have watched them dismiss mobs of parrots and Kurawongs in minutes. They 'farm' large populations of psyllids for their sugar coating. The psyllids damage the tree crowns to the degree where the tree eventually dies. Birds which might feed on the whole psyllid and moderate its activities are denied access.

I am interested to learn of any stategies I can employ to protect my land from the ravages of psyllid/lurp damage due to Bell Miner lurp farming. I am particularly interested in 'biological' controls although I expect that a raft of different strategies, implemented together, will be the way forward.

Thankyou

Patrick Dickson

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