Plant & Food Research is engaging with Hawke's Bay households as it seeks to rid the region of codling moth, looking to deliver millions of the insect from drones.
The codling moth threatens New Zealand's ability to access overseas markets for apples and pears. But while it is actively controlled in orchards, codling moth has been found throughout Hastings gardens.
The widespread discovery was thanks to residents allowing 200 pheromone traps to be set, which captured twice as many moths per week compared with traps on commercial export orchards.
Codling moths were caught in all traps placed in gardens and surrounding walnut trees, which also attract the moths.
"Home gardeners unknowingly harbour codling moths on their apple and walnut trees because many of them don't have access to a codling moth management regime," Plant & Food research scientist Max Suckling said.