THE HAWAIIAN FORESTER 

 AND AGRICULTURIST 



Vol. XVIII. Honolulu, May, 1921. No. 5 



THE FERN WEEVIL. 



{Syagriiis fiihitarsis Pasc.) 



By David T. Fullaway, Entomologist. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Attention has recently been drawn to the fact that the preva- 

 lence of the fern weevil in the Hilo district constitutes a menace 

 to the forests of Hawaii. A new significance is thus given to 

 the presence of the insect in the islands, which has heretofore 

 been considered only as a greenhouse pest. In view of the 

 serious nature of the situation on Hawaii and the importance of 

 doing all that is humanly possible to prevent the insect from 

 gaining access to the forests, it has seemed desirable to publish 

 an account of the weevil, presenting all the information at pres- 

 ent possessed concerning it. The account which follows deals 

 with the position, origin, history, distribution, life history and 

 habits of the insect and the means which may be employed to 

 combat it. 



Position, Origin, Distribution and History of the Fern 



Weevil. 



The fern weevil, Syagrius fulvitarsis, is classed in the sub- 

 family Cossoninae of the Rhyncophora. Pascoe, the desCriber, 

 referred it at the time to the Molytinae, remarking that while 

 it resembles species of Anchonus, it is geographically allied to the 

 single species included in the rare genus Stereuinius. It is an 

 immigrant species here, without close relatives in the islands, 

 and is known elsewhere only in Australia, whence probably it 

 was carried here. A similar insect, said, however, to differ in 

 essential points, and described under the name Syagrius intnidcns, 

 by Waterhouse. appeared in the Botanic Gardens of Dublin, Ire- 

 land, in 1902. Presumably it also came from Australia, but its 

 cv' presence there is yet to be recorded. A third, related species 

 found in greenhouses in Australia attacking maiden-hair ferns 

 was brought to notice in 1904 by Froggatt. AMiile closely allied 

 to Syagrius, it is not congeneric, according to Lea, and required 



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