The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-10-30
RARE PARASITES
FROM AFRICA ARE !
IMPORTED Smelly
Entomologist Holds WilheImina
70 Get Fruit Fly Enemies
TO HonoInIbt =
Three Hundred Insects Travel
Hall Around Globe To Destroy
Hawaii Orchard Pests

lFrom wednesday Advertlsst.l


the Hawaii Experiment. Station, ar
rived ON, the wilbelnipa last night af-
ter Eve months hug hunt In the wilds
Of Africa Accompanying him were an
army Of parasites that are going 70 be
bred and turned loose TO help rid Ha.
waiian orchards Of the hordes Of devas
tatine Mediterranean fruit flies that
prevent the shipment Of our fresh fruit
and vegetables to the mainland mar
kets.
Across Two Oceans
Mn(Fullaway left Honolulu last May
armed with a commission from the Gov
ernof TO proceed to Nigeria on the West
coast Of Africa, capture specimens Of
various parasites previously discovered
by Doctor Silvestri and transport the
same in living condition 20 Hawaii.
This work was done under the auspices
OF the board Of agriculture and f0res.
try. Mr.. Fullaway,s service having
been loaned to the Territory by DIR. e.
v, Wilcox, director Of the Experiment
Station.
Hunting Parasites In African Wilds
Accompanied by an assistant and
provided with all the necessary docu
ments by the department Of agriculture
officials in Washington, Mr., Fullaway
proceeded direct to the African coast
and travelled up into the interior of Nj
geria about $50 miles to a locality
where the so-ealled Mediterranean
fruit-fiy was known to have its origi-
nal abiding place and home.
In this region the fruit fly has many
q A.. -
veled to Hawaii he left all his parasites
behind him, and once introduced into
these isles proceeded 70 multiply with
vast rapidly, with results well known
TO all Hawaiian horticulturists. <.
Nigeria Furnishes Insects
Mr.. Fullaway remained in Nigeria
until he had picked up a lot Of the ma
tural enemies and parasites Of the fruit
fly. Then provided with an abundant
supply of the fruit.iiies, so as to ensure
food supply for his parasites on their
long voyage to Hawaii, Mr. Fullawgy
took steamer from Nigeria for Tener-
life In the Canary Islands. He re-
NAMED In Teneriffe month, then took
I his antomologica menagerie. to 2uha,
and from thence to Key West, Jack
sonyille, Mobile, New OrleanS Calves.
ton and finally to San Francisco.
Bugs Delay wiiheimina
As the train on which he iourneyed
to San FrapeiseO was not due to arrive
until after the Wilhelmina was due to
sail he telegraphed the Matson Naviga-
tion Company requesting them to hold
the steamer The Wilhelmina was held
at her dock until five o'clock until Mr.,
Fullaway and his precious African bugs
could make connections with the ocean
ferry T9
He stated yesterday that had not
Captain Matson rendered such ready
assistanee, and cooperation the entire
shipment would probably have been
lost, as the parasites could not have
lived through. a seven DAYS, siege Of
San francisco climate. }
ParaSites Personally Conducted r'
When be went 10 TeaeFiffe Mr.. Full
away had intended to send his para
sites from there to Honolulu by parce
post but the war had begun, steamer
service was interrupted and delayed
and he decided that the only sure way
of getting them through alive was Il
come himself and bring them with him
I When he arrived last night he wa,
able to turn loose in the board Of agri
cultures insectaries 800 individuals Of
the parasite that answers to the nam,
Tetrastichus, thirty specimens Of twt
species OF Opus, twelve Shalangias anC
a number of miscellaneous parasites mo-
yet provided with their latin names
but warranted to be death on fruit
flies.
Nature of the Beast
The Tetfastichus Is what he wen
to Nigeria to get and the others arr
thrown Ia for good measure. This para
site lives in the fruit-fy larva seeking
out the pest Units burrows in the fruit
ID remains In the body of the worn
until the latter papates. He said thai
he has Matched out twenty-five para
sites from single frult,tly pupa, which
indicates the good work they can d.
once get them fairly started
The Spalangia hunts out the pupf
after ID is formed In the soil, sting:
II aud kills the fruit fly in the ground
Moro Africans Coming
Mr.. Fpllaway Il assistant remained il
TeneFiffe 10 take care Of second ship
ment Of phrasites so that il the Arsi
lot died III transit the experiment OF
bringing them to Hawaii could be re
peated. Now that the FIRST shipment
have arrived safe be win 60 to soutt
Africa thence TO Australia and then Il
Honolulu. He is due to arrive here
next March and will probably bring q
number Of new fruit-hy parasites from
both the Cape and Australia,
p, Mr., Fullaway said that he had q fine
trip, and enjoyed every minute of the
five mouths that be, was away but that
Honolulu looked pretty good after bis
expariencea in the war zone.
N7-vT 49,