The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-20
To KILL. THE
LAN1ANA
KOebele Advises
Bringing Of
Insects.

Entomologist Koebele has submitted
| to Governor Dole a report upon the in
| the intention being to introduce the
| species to curtail the growth of the
| lantana in Hawaii. Professor Koebels
stated yesterday that where the Ian
tana in this territory produced hun
| dreds of seeds to each plant while il
Mexico half a dozen seeds to severa
bushels of the lantana is the rule, and
the onslaughts of insect enemies is hello
to be responsible for the freedom from
the pest in the latter country. Mr.. Koe-
belle in his report advises strongly
against spreading the blight which is
now preying on the lantana on Maui
and warns against its indiscriminate
distribution in the islands. A further
examination of the lantana will be
made by Koebele on his coming visit
to Mexico.
The report of the Entomologist is as
follows:
Honolulu, Feb 15 1902
His Excellency Sanford B. Dole, Gov
ernor, Territory of Hawaii
Dear Sir:-At your request l herewith
give you notes on insects preying upon
iantana in Mexico. The observati tons
made during my visit to that country in
1893 were but limited, a few seeds only
of lantana camara were found and in but
one locality, in the States of Morelos.
The plant has also been seen near Oriz-
aba and doubtless will be found every
where toward the south from these local
tiles, with additional host preying on the
same. OF the insects bred from the
white lantana, two at least could be
safely introduced here, providing they
are also found preying on the seeds of
d. Camara.
1t appears that very little is known of
these minute little flies, living in and
destroying the seeds of these plants. [
have no works on hand relating to the
habits of Acromyza, save DR. L. O.
Towards book. 1901, p. 49, we find this
brief note: THE Acromyzid flies, as
rule, are small insignificant creatures of
all colors The larvae of some of them
feed on living plants, forming burrows
or mines in various parts and especially
in the leaves
In Fauna Hawaiensis, Diptera. by p.
II. Grimshaw, just received, we find the
following note: Two specimens belong
ing to this genus We're obtained by Mr..
Perkins One was beaten from trees at
a height of 5000 feet, in the Waianae
mountains Oahu in April 1892; and the
other is from Kona, Hawaii and was
obtained at a height of 1000 feet, in Sep
TENDER of the same year. Both speci-
mems agree in most respects with A.
Pictella, Thoms., described from Cali
fornia, except that the abdomen is entire
ly black. In the present state of our
knowledge of this genus L think it wiser
to defer the description of this species
rather than add another to the long list
of those already named which must in
clude great many synonyms.
NOTES ON LANTANA INSECTS.
No. 1904
A few seeds of Lantana Camara col
lected at Cuautla, MoreIos, Mexico. Aug.
&c, 1898, produced a number of flies up
to October. But few mature seeds were
observed on the shrubs and it seems that
most of them are infested and eaten out
by this dipterous larvae, hence the
scarcity of the plant which is found but
rarely.
Mr. Coquillet, in charge of the Diptera
at the Department of Agriculture, Wash
ington, D. c., tells me the fly is an
AcromyZa, and furthermore, these flies
have never been known to be injurious
Both DR.. Howard and Schwarz would
not recommend the Introduction of this
fly into Hawaii. saying it is not to be
told what it may lead to.
1 should not hesitate, for a moment
to introduce the same here. In fact, |
have repeatedly written to Mexico for
green seeds of Lantana to study the fly
yet nothing could be obtained.
LANTANA-wHITE FLOwERING.
No. 1905.
Also at the end of August, 1898, az
Cuautla, Morelos, Mexico, the seeds of
the white Towering Lantana We're exam !
ined and collected. On several shrubs /
not a single mature or good seed could |
De found, owing to the mass of insects |
preying on the same.
1. The larvae of a Lycaena Ia small |
blue butterfly was found but not raised. !
This could be introduced here if also |
found eating the seeds of L. Camara.
2 The larvae of a small Pyralid
most numerous. The moth was bred.
Known.
g. A small Tined was also bred
Should be more carefully studied.
4. a small Trypeda fly appears to be
'ery numerous. Its larvae living within
he seeds. This may be of great import
nce if it should be found to devour the
leeds of our Lantana.
). The larvae of a Cecidomyid fly Very
numerous and eating out the seeds. May
e equally important for us.
6. A few remains of Chalcid flies saved |
ire apparently all parasitic upon one or
he other of the above insects.
Under the date of August 10Th, 1901, /
ave fully reported upon Orthezia IN
ignis, preying on Lantaua, on Maui, the
disability of what this scale may do on
ur Islands. L have since learned that
is also recorded from the West In
les where it has no better reputation
han in India and Ceylon, and again
-ouId warn of an indiscriminate distribu-
ion over all the Islands of this serious
est. The sooner We can introduce an
Elective enemy for the same, the better
1r the Islands.
Respectfully
AJ,RERT KOEREI.E ,