Fiji’S War On
pp. 21-22 · Read in the full issue
Rhino Beetle
Definite Infestation in
Suva Area
SOON after a live Rhinoceros beetle (Brontispa froggatti ), deadly enemy of the coconut palm, was found on a ship in Suva harbour on February 22, another live specimen was discovered by a Fijian in his house at Suvavou (near the harbour, west of Suva). (See PIM, Feb.).
The Government immediately took alarm; Department of Agriculture teams went searching carefully: and by mid-March it was clear that there was infestation throughout a 10-miles wide area west and north west of Suva. Beetles and larvae were found in rotting vegetation, trees and houses.
It is believed that the insect had been established in the area for at least a year—probably before the infestation in Vavau (North Tonga) was discovered.
Every precaution that the ex perts can devise is being taken to keep the infestation within the limited area west of Suva. The most stringent measures are being imposed upon ships, planes and vehicles moving out of the infected area. Teams of searchers are ex amining the country. Officials are inspecting vehicles at special road blocks. Power-spraying on a huge scale is proposed. The Government has made £14,500 available to cover costs of these extraordinary measures.
BUT we have never heard of a case of the complete eradication of this pest, once it has become established. It can be controlled by the use of parasitical wasps (such as the Scolio Ruficornis, brought from Mauritius to Western Samoa many years ago) and by vigorous communal measures directed to the removal of all dead palms and rot ting vegetation; but once the im plantation is complete—as seems to be the case in Viti Levu —the only thing to do, apparently, is to accept it as one of the burdens of the nation, and provide accordingly.
It is exceedingly bad luck for Fiji, which took all reasonable precau tions, once it was found that the pest had escaped from Samoa to Tonga. But, failing a means of complete eradication which could have been applied in Samoa and Tonga, and in view of modern transport conditions, the spread of the beetle to Fiji, sooner or later, was inevitable.
Fiji’s coconut industry is worth between two and three million pounds per annum. Most of the best coconut plantations are not in Viti Levu, and the pest may be kept away from the other islands for
some time —although at consider able cost.
The Colony’s main hope is that some parasite may be found to kill Rhino, just as the Colony, several years ago, by introducing a parasitic fly from Malaya, wiped out the very menacing blue moth.
Presumably, Fiji will give its De partment of Agriculture carte blanche in seeking a way out of this ugly situation Fiji, Tonga, Western Samoa, Wallis archipelago, New Guinea— all now are affected. It looks like a ready-made job for the South Pacific Commission.
Few Beetles—Many Larvae
• From Our Fiji Correspondent) SUVA, March 26.
IT has been officially pointed out that if the beetle has spread beyond the Suva-Veisari area, the grant of £14,500 will have to be substantially increased.
At the moment it is not thought that special equipment, such as power-sprayers, will be required, but it is realised that the fight against the beetle is a matter in volving long-term research, for which modern equipment will be needed.
At a Suva Rotary Club luncheon, Mr. W. G. Johnson (managing director of W. R. Carpenter and Co. (Fiji) Ltd.), suggested a reward of £lOO,OOO for anyone in the world who is able to control the beetle.
“This is not a large amount to pro tect a £3,000,000 a year industry,” he said.
The Senior Government Ento mologist (Mr. B. A. O’Connor) told the Rotary Club that it had been suggested that, with the help of the South Pacific Commission, an entomologist might be sent to south east Asia or Ceylon to discover why the rhinoceros beetle affects some places less than others.
“We must find out why the beetle is attracted to rotting vegetation and coconut palms. If we could find the answer to that,” he said, “then we could provide a lure. The South Pacific Commission may be able to help us in this. Fiji, of course, would have to contribute to the cost of research.”
Comparatively few beetles have been found so far, but a great many beetle grubs have been unearthed.
More than 20 of the repulsive things (3 in. long an dnearly 1 in. thick) were unearthed in a compost heap at Delainavesi, close to Suva. Others have been found in the dead, stand ing trunks of sago and coconut palms, and still others in sawdust piles near sawmills. One of the worst points of infestation is near the Solomon Islanders’ village at Wailoku, about three miles inland from the harbour, and another fairly bad patch is near the hill suburb of Tamavua.
Visible damage to. coconut palms
is not common. This, added to the fact that many grubs and few beetles have been found to date, suggests that the beetle’s invasion of Fiji may have been caught in the nick of time. If that should be so, the watchful Fijians (who, on board the ship Thorsisle and in a house at Suvavou, pounced on and reported the first two known live beetles in Fiji) should receive some recognition.