Brought

War and Aeroplanes Brought New Insects to Pacific

THE War and the subsequent speeding-up of air transportation can be expected to have a far-reaching effect on Pacific islands agriculture, if the experience of the Board of Agriculture in Hawaii is any indication.

In the past two years, 28 new immi grant insects have been identified there; they are believed to have entered the Territory in planes or in the baggage of service personnel.

Three of the insects have been classed as major pests, of which the most serious is the mango fruit fly, Dacus Dorsalis.

It stings every variety of fruit in the Territory, with the exception of pineapples.

Two other fruit flies were known in the Hawaiian islands previously, and these did touch damage; the new variety in creases the destruction.

The other two major pests are defolia ting caterpillars, which attack the leaf buds of certain trees and forage plants.

Seven of the new insects are listed as having an unknown effect on agriculture, and these are being watched by entomolo gists with interest. And five of the im migrants are listed as beneficial.

Two of them are parasites of the mealybug; one attacks and destroys the eggs of the common cockroach; another is an egg parasite of the black-widow spider; and the fifth is a wasp which builds mud-nests and stocks them with cater pillars of destructive varieties.