Krauss, N.L.H.

Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society

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Vol. XVIII, No. 1, August, 1962 131Biological Control Investigations on Insect, Snailand Weed Pests in Tropical America, 1961N. L. H. KraussSTATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREHONOLULU, HAWAII{Submitted for publication December, 1961)Investigations on biological control of various pests of Hawaiian agriculturemade by the author in tropical America during the period March-December 1961are briefly summarized in this paper. Most of the work was done in Brazil, butshorter periods were spent in Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile,Colombia and Peru.Among the persons who aided me in this work I would like especially tomention Eleazar Jimenez Jimenez of the Secretaria de Agricultura y Ganaderia,Mexico City; Harry L. Maltby, U.S. Entomology Research Division, MexicoCity; Jose Pinto da Fonseca, Instituto Biologico, Sao Paulo, Brazil; and PadreGuillermo Kuschel, Universidad de Chile. Identifications of most of the insectswere made by specialists of the Entomology Research Division, U.S. Departmentof Agriculture.The beneficial insects sent to Hawaii were received, propagated, and tested byC. J. Davis, H. K. Nakao, Mabel Chong, and other members of the EntomologyBranch, State Department of Agriculture.Insect PestsAgromyzid Leafminers. On the coast of Sao Paulo state, Brazil, at Santos,Sao Vicente and Guaruja Island, leaves of Bidens pilosa, Ageratum conyzoides, andother composite weeds were found infested by several species of agromyzid flylarvae which form blotch mines. The agromyzids were identified as Phytobia(Calcomyza) allecta (Melander), Phytobia (Amauromyza) maculosa (Malloch) andLiriomyza sp. by K. A. Spencer. Several shipments of infested leaves were sentto Honolulu during the period June-Octobei and these yielded the parasitesOptus sp. near oscinidis Ashmead, Optus sp., (Braconidae) and the eulophidsChrysocharis majoriani Girault and Achrysocharis sp. The first releases of theseparasites were made in June, on Oahu.Scales. Lecanium scales on Schinus terebinthifolius branches were found to beattacked by caterpillars of the predacious phycitid Baphalia homoeosomella (Zeller)at Maua, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Several shipments of these were sent to Honoluluin April and June but it was not possible to propagate the moths there. Thefollowing parasites were reared from the material: Apanteles sp. near alexanderi132 Proceedings, Hawaiian Entomological SocietyBrethes (Braconidae), Arachnophaga sp. (Eupelmidae) and Coccidoxenus sp.(Encyrtidae). The Coccidoxenus probably emerged from the scale.Snail PestsA number of adult and young individuals of the predacious snail Streptaxiscontusus (Ferussac) (family Streptaxidae) were obtained in Rio de Janeiro throughthe kind cooperation of Dr. Hugo de Sousa Lopes of the Instituto OswaldoCruz. Shells of the adults are about 22 mm. in diameter, more flattened than thoseof the two species of Gonaxis introduced into Hawaii from Africa, and of acreamish color; the bodies are orange-yellow. In the Rio area this predatorattacks snails of the genera Bradybaena, Bulimulus, Thaumastus, etc. in forestedareas. The snails were forwarded to Honolulu and 18 were released at Kapaa,Kauai on May 24 against ground snail pests (Bradybaena, etc.).WeedsChristmas Berry {Schinus terebinthifolius). This ornamental plant, a shrub orsmall tree of the family Anacardiaceae, is native to Brazil, Paraguay and northernArgentina. In Hawaii it has become a serious rangeland pest, especially on theisland of Hawaii. The following insects were among the more important speciesfound attacking Schinus spp. in South America. All the records are from S.terebinthifolius unless otherwise noted.Bruchus atronotatus Pic. This bruchid which attacks the seeds was sent in largenumbers to Hawaii in 1954 by the author, but propagation was not successful.Many adults were released on Oahu and Hawaii in I960 from shipments collectedin Sao Paulo state, Brazil by Dr. Jose Pinto da Fonseca. This year the beetleswere scarce, but several hundred were sent to Honolulu and these were releasedin Kau, Hawaii in April. This species is not known to be established in Hawaii.Lithraeus electus Bridwell (Bruchidae). This beetle was bred from seeds ofSchinus latifolius collected at Las Cruces, near Cartagena, Chile in April and May.Procalus mutans viridis (Philippi). The larvae and adults feed on leaves ofSchinus latifolius at Las Cruces and Algarrobo, Chile. The eggs are laid in clusterson the leaves. Both larvae and adults are green. Three shipments of eggs, larvae,and adults were sent to Honolulu but propagation is proving difficult.Crasimorpha sp. The spotted larvae of this gelechiid form elongate galls onthe twigs, usually near the tip, on plants growing among sand dunes at thebeach of Recreio dos Bandeirantes, near Rio de Janeiro. A few larvae werecollected at Maua, Sao Paulo state. Several lots were sent to Honolulu and thefirst release was made in Kau, Hawaii in December.Hylesia sp. The spiny gray caterpillars of this saturniid were found feeding onleaves at Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil in July. This species was discardedas the larvae bear many highly irritating spines.Vol. XVIII, No. 1, August, 1962 133Undetermined Lacosomid. The large gray and yellow banded caterpillars webseveral leaves into individual shelters and feed on the leaves at Curitiba, Parana,Brazil. Two shipments were made to Honolulu for propagation and testing.Sibine sp. near rufescens Walker; Limacodidae. These gregarious, slug-like caterpillars were found feeding voraciously on leaves at Itapoan, near Salvador,Bahia, Brazil in October. The larvae are green with tufts of orange spines. Thisspecies was also eliminated because of irritating spines. A bombyliid parasite,Systropus conopoides Kunckel d'Herculais (det. R. H. Painter) was reared from thelarvae.Undetermined spiny black caterpillars with brown "saddles" were feeding onleaves at Itapoan and Salvador, Bahia as well as elsewhere in Brazil (Maua andSao Vicente in Sao Paulo state, etc.). This is now undergoing feeding tests inHonolulu.Leafminers. Two species of gracilariid blotch leafminers were found in Brazil:an undetermined species of a genus near Parornix at Sao Vicente and Itanhaean,Sao Paulo, which was sent to Honolulu during August-October, but not successfully propagated there, and an apparently new species of Gracilaria noted atSalvador, Bahia in October.Lantana camara aculeata insects. (See p.134).

Biological Control Investigations on Insect, Snail and Weed Pests in Tropical America, 1961

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Biological Control Investigations on Insect, Snail and Weed Pests in Tropical America, 1961

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