The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-02-21
TO KILL The
LIANT ANA
koebele Advises
Bringing of
insects.

Entomolopist Eoebele has submitted
to Governor Dole a report upon the in-
scots preying upon lantana In Mexico
the intention being to introduce the
species 90 curtail the growth ~ the
lantana in Hawaii Professor Kocbele
stated yesterday that where the Ian
tana in this territory produced hum
dreds of seeds to- each plant while in
Mexico half % dozen seeds To- several
bushels Of the lantaua Is the rule and
the onslaughts OF insect enemies is held
10 DE responsible for the freedom from
the pest in the latter country. Mr.. Kor-
belle I'm his report advises strongly
against spreading the blight which is
now proving on the lantana on dauL
and warns against its indiscriminat
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. Il. 1902
! His ENcellency Sanford b. Dole, Gov
ernor, Territory of Hawaii.
Dear Sir:-At your request / herewith
give you notes on insects preying upon
! lantana In Mexico. The observations
made during my visit to that country In
1898 Were but limited, few seeds only
OF lantana camara We're 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. or 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
-. Camara.
It 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.
| Howard's book, 1901 p 49, we find this
brief note: The Acromyzid flies, as a
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 Ilawaiiensis, Diptera, by r.
II. Grimshaw, just received, we find the
/ following note: 1.-TWO specimens belong
/ ing to this genus We're obtained by Mr.
( Perkins one was beaten from trees at
a height of 5000 feet i'm the Waianae
mountains, oahu. In April. 1892; and the
other Is from Kona, Hawaii, and was
obtained at height Of 1000 feet, I'm Sep
tember of the same year Both speci-
mems agree in most respects with \.
Pictella, Thoms., described from Cali
forna, except that the abdomen is entire
ly black. In the present state of our
knowledge of this genus ! 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. 1901
: A few seeds of Lantana Camara col
lected at Cuautla Moreios, Mexico Aug.
20, 1895, produced 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. G., tells me the fly Is an
Acromyza, and furthermore. these flies
have never been known to be injurious.
Both DIR. Howard and Schwarz would
not recommend the introduction of this
fly into Hawaii, saying IT Is not to he
told what it may lead to
| 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
carefully. yet nothing could be obtained.
LANTANA-wHITE PIONEERING.
No. 1905.
Also at the end of August. 1895 A.
Cuautla, Morelos. Mexico, the seeds OF
the white towering Lantana were exam
ined and collected. ON several shrubs
not single mature or good seed could
be found. owing to the mass OF insects
| prey.ug on the same
|. The larvae Of LyCaena Ca 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 small Pyralid was
most numerous. The moth was bred
Should not be introduced until better
known.
g. small Tined was also bred
Should he more carefully studied.
4. small Trypeda fly appears to be
very numerous. Its larvae living within
the seeds This may be of great import
ance If It should be found to devour tht
seeds of our Lantana.
5. The larvae of CCcidomyid fly. Very
numerous and eating out the seeds. Nay
be equally important for us.
g. a few remains of ChalCid flies saved
are apparently all parasitic upon one ol
the Other Of the above insects.
Under the date of August 18th, 1901,
nave iullE reported upon OftheZla IN
sigl s., preying on Lantana. on Maui, tn,
possibility Of what this scale may do 81
| our Islands. l have since learned tina
; i is also recorded from the West In
2 dies wneIe it has no better reputation
| then in India and Ceylon, and agaiI
/ would warn of an indiscrmlnate distriDu
2 tlon over all the Islands of this serious
p pest. The sooner We can introduce al
effect We enemy for the same the bette
: for the Islands.
p Respectfully,
= ALBERT KOEBELE,
, Entomologist