Rhino Beetle

Another Bug Joins Rhino Beetle To Harass NB Planters

MR. HAROLD KOCH, during a recent visit to Rabaul, NG, told us that his plantation, down towards Gasmata in the centre of New Britain’s south coast, is in the area at present threatened by something which he calls Pro mecatheca disease. It seems that he did not watch more closely for Japs in his Coastwatching days than he does now for Promecatheca bugs.

This insect lays its eggs between the layers of the palm fronds. The coconut palm breathes through the fronds, and when the disease attacks the palm, the fronds die and the palm no longer breathes. Result — no production until the terminal shoot starts breathing and the fronds form.

A palm attacked by the disease is usually out of production for 18 months to two years.

Koch states that the disease is at present 90 miles up the coast from his plantation and is advanc ing slowly in his direction through the native groves.

There seems to be a brighter side to the picture, however. Kerevat Department of Agriculture Experi mental Station is still trying to breed the Zanzibar wasp which it started to import about 18 months; ago in an attempt to combat Rhino ceros beetle, and these will, so Koch, says, also attack Promecatheca, larvae.

The first batch of wasps from.

Africa did not appear to multiply when released around Kerevat; sub sequent batches are believed to be doing a little better. However, they have not made any appreciable dif ference to the ravages of the Rhino beetle, and they will have to breed! a lot faster before they can be ex pected to do much to eradicate; Promecatheca.

It is understood that production! has virtually ceased on Lindenhafem Plantation, in the Gasmata area.

With copra bringing around £7O per ton, the thought of no production! for up to two years is a terrifying? one for local planters. —Special Correspondent. (It is understood that Prome catheca is not a new pest in NG, and has always existed there: whati has happened is that there has been! some un-balance of nature that has interfered with this bug’s natural predator. An old planter says that! when the plantations are kept clean of undergrowth, and tidy, there is no shelter for the bug’s enemy, air ant, and so Promecathaca gains ascendancy. When undergrowtlr takes charge—as it did during the war years in New Guinea—the antt can get in and attack the bug, andc the palms flourish again.)