Muggy days bring insect plague

Swedish tourist Fredrih Johansson finds a cool spot in Albert Park. Picture / Richard Robinson

Supermarket customers are stripping shelves bare of mosquito repellent and fumigators cannot remember a busier season as the muggy weather sparks a bug bonanza.

Progressive Enterprises, which owns the Foodtown, Countdown and Woolworths stores, had a 58 per cent increase in sales of mosquito repellent nationwide compared with the same time last year, said spokesman Jacques Losken.

Homeowners are calling for help to control invading insects.

"It's a record year and unless the weather gets drier, the bugs will just keep proliferating," said Flybusters owner Vivienne Van Dyk.

The company was getting calls for the full range of pests, but weevils taking over the pantry had panicked some homeowners.

"We're selling traps like they're going out of fashion. Because it's so hot in cupboards, the pupae have been lying dormant but the heat triggers them to start hatching," she said.

John Marsden, of North Shore Pest Control, said the company had geared up for the usual busy season of fly and flea infestation, but kept getting calls about ants. "There's just a lot more inquiries compared to past years."

Foodtown, in downtown Auckland, sold out of mosquito plug-ins this week.

Two long weekends in a row had made it difficult to gauge demand, said Victoria Park New World grocery manager Glenn MacDonald.

"I think we under-ordered."

New World Te Kuiti grocery buyer Denis Bryan said the store was struggling to keep up with demand.

"Anything to do with mosquitos, whether it's sprays or lamps, we've had to keep a close eye on," he said. "If we turn our backs for a moment, they've all gone."

Matamata Countdown grocery manager Daniel Scelly said customers were prepared to pay for whatever they thought would give them a peaceful night's sleep.

Weather-wise, there appears to be little prospect of a change. MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said both islands were likely to have long fine spells over the weekend.