Entomologist

Death Of Noted

THE death occurred in the United Kingdom on May 14 of Mr. Frank Price Jepson, who, as Fiji Govern ment Entomologist from 1909 to 1919, laid the foundation of the work which has given Fiji a world-wide reputation in the field of biological control of crop pests and aggressive weeds.

Mr. Jepson’s most spectacular achieve ment in Fiji was to bring from Java the Histerid predator Plaesius Javanus which become known throughout Fiji as “Jep son’s beetle,” and which did much to control the weevil-borer which was caus ing a great deal of damage among bananas in the Colony, Mr. Jepson made an effort to control

the weed Lantana camara by introduc ing from Hawaii the Lantana seed-fly Agromyza lantanae. The insect soon be came established on the Lantana camara and although it did not give the re sults expected, experience with it opened up new avenues of exploration in the biological control of aggressive weeds.

The complete control in later years of Koster’s Curse by Mr. H. W. Simmonds indicated that Mr. Jepson was thinking along progressive lines regarding weed control.

After leaving Fiji in 1919 Mr. Jepson became Entomologist to the Government of Ceylon, and was later Deputy Direc tor of Agriculture in Ceylon.

Mr, S. N. Elliott, of Suva, Fiji, has been appointed Rehabilitation Officer in suc cession to the late Mr. C, H. Came.