The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1904-09-24
JAPANESE
BEETLE DOOMED.
Brother Matthias Discovers
Fungus Which Deals Death to
This Dangerous Pest.

The Japanese beetle, which In
times past caused such havoc with
roses, valuable plants and other veg
citation iE Hawaii, is rapidly being
exterminated, largely through the
efforts of Hilo scientist. Brother
Matthias of st. Mary's School. Hilo,
for the past ten years has been act
lively engaged in the study OF plant
life in the Hawaiian Islands and a
means for its preservation.
About seven years ago a dead
caterpillar with peculiar fungus
growth euveloping it was brought
to Brother Matthias for his examin-
alton. 1t had been fonnd in Olaa by
Prof. Rochelle, and its appearance
was the source OF considerable spec
ulation as to the cause Of its death.
With the aid of the microscope,
Brother Matthias soon discovered in
the fungus growth attaching to the
caterpller myrlads of spores, or
eggs, which were capable OF repro
ducing a similar fungus substance.
For three years he daily inoculated
and let 60 thousands Of Japanese
beetles, which in turn spread the
disease, and beetles subsequently
captured in various parts of the ISL
land have shown evidences OF the
fungus growth. He recommends
that the work be carried on until
the Japanese beetle exists no longer
in the Hawaiian Islands. 1t IS an in.
sect dangerous to many other plants
besides flowers and roses, and is es.
pecially injurious 10 the cocao, or
''koko" plant, experiments. in the
growing of which are now being made.
Below is given the method adopted
by Brother Matthias for securing his
cultures and the incubation OF the
beetles, which he claims anyone can
do:
Take box about a foot square and six
inches deep and fill in about two-thirds
with damp soil. Keep this soil moist. no.
-inuddy, by occasionally sprinkling with
water. Dry soil will not work. Place
about two hundred beetles in the box and
more if the box be considerably larger.
Be careful to put only live beetles into
the box, as dead beetles if sufficiently
numerous will cause corruption and ruin
your work. Give fresh food to the beetles
daily and take away whatever remains
from the day previous. The best time to
pl ace the food in the box is during the
day, because then the beetles are mostly
hidden in the ground. If the box be
opened in the evening they will try to
escape. Valuable plants need not be tax
ed for their food, for anyone may have
noticed that even certain weeds are eaten
by them. The so-called honohono grass
is found in many places and beetles will
eat it readily. Keep the lid of the box
we'll down. No special precaution need
be taken about air holes, for the space be-
tween the soil and the lid admits all the
air that the beetles require. Keep the
box clean and in dry. shady place.
Among the beetles placed in the box
there will be found some already infected
with the disease, for the fungus which is
fatal to them has been widely spread dur
ing the past years and is far from being
extinct.
Within few days the infected beetles
will die. A white substance gradually
appears at the joints OF the dead beetles.
This white substance is the fungus. The
fungus finally turns green and continues
to grow until the dead beetle is almost
enveloped in it. The live beetles now
will take the infection from the dead bee
ties, and in two or three weeks nearly
all will have died and developed the
fungus. Now mix the soil and the dead
beetles. Fresh beetles placed in the box
for two or three days will become diseased
and should then be liberated so as to carry
the infection abroad. Liberate the beetles
in the evening simply by raising the lid.
1t is advisable, however, to retain some
beetles each time that others are liberat-
ed, so that the fungus supply may not be.
come exhausted. Dead beetles having
developed the fungus may also be scat.
tered about plants that have been attack
ed, or they may be mixed with the soil
around those plants.
Beetles placed in the box for the pur.
pose of inoculation will have to be fed, as
otherwise they will Stare and cause cor
ruption. Beetles that die of the infection
do not cause corruption. They are as II
were embalmed by the fungus. .-Hilo
Tribune.