Rhino Beetle

Fiji's Fight Against

LATEST move in the Fiji cam paign against the rhinoceros beetle was the proclamation by the Governor in mid-July of the whole of Viti Levu island and islets within 5 miles of its coast as an infected area, and the total pro hibition of removal of root vege tables from this area to other parts of the group.

Vegetables may, however, be taken on inter-island vessels as ship stores after they have first been washed down under supervision.

The danger with vegetables lies in the possible transfer of beetle eggs on the root soil.

During July, evidence of the presence of the beetle was discovered on palms in the Viti Levu Bay area of eastern Viti Levu south of Port Ellington. So far there has been no evidence of beetles discovered on the north-west coast between Sigatoka and Raki Raki.

In view of the widespread, if light, infestation of the beetle on Viti Levu, the Eradication Board has announced a new plan of campaign which may be summarised under the following headings: extension of the system of inspection of shipping; maintenance of a small mobile labour force to work in areas where breeding has been discovered; maintenance

of several small mobile units of skilled workers to detect further areas of infestation; further re search to discover what probable factors are at present holding the beetle in check —as it is believed that some predator, such as per haps the toad, must be responsible for preventing a more rapid spread of the pest; and finally, continued

support of the SPC scheme for the investigation of control measures on a regional basis.

The South Pacific Commission will soon appoint an entomologist for the work. Research is com mencing on palm-leaf material to discover what it is that attracts the beetle to palms.

The Fiji Eradication Board has

engaged Mr. H. W. Simmonds, former Government Entomologist and lately retired, to carry out field work in collaboration with the Government Entomologist in the search for natural predators of the beetle.

Meanwhile, wherever beetle dam age has been discovered compost “traps” have been established. In these the beetles tend to breed and the grubs are then killed as they hatch. Experiments are continu ing with chemically treated com post, it having already been dis covered that certain poisonous chemicals actually attract the grubs and cause their death.

Though the compost traps offer the best counter measure at the moment, there is a very great danger that such traps, if not closely attended could become pro lific breeding places and have the very opposite effect to that intended.

The Board is fully alive to this danger.