142 



others) common in such places. Their injury being of a sec- 

 ondary nature it need not be feared. A vinegar % {Droso- 

 phila, sp.) was a source of annoyance to Mr. Bruner at the 

 mill, and he was advised to so dispose of the refuse that it 

 dries as quickly as possible, thus destroying the breeding 

 places for these flies. 



KEALAKEKUA, AND BALANCE OF KONA, HAWAII. 



The rest of the time was spent in a study of the insects on 

 coffee, citrus and vanilla along the Government road of Kona. 



The most abundant insect in all these fields was the Siphanta. 

 The locality simply swarmed with them. Occasionally a 

 branch of coffee was found overrun with coffee scale, though 

 ever accompanied by that most useful little animal, the brown 

 ladybird {CryjHolaemus montrouzieri) . The parasites of this 

 scale were also commonly observed. The most injurious pest 

 in the coffee fields is fungus, beyond a doubt. Trees laden 

 with the blackened berries of the previous crop were every- 

 where to be seen. I was informed that fully 25% of the coffee 

 crop is ruined every year by this disease, and this in fields in 

 an excellent state of cultivation. 



Citrus plants were found afflicted with the usual retinue of 

 scale bugs, including purple scale, Florida red scale, {Chrij- 

 somplalusficus aonidum, Linn.), ' acuminate lecanium {Coccus 

 acuminatus, Sign), etc. As there are no commercial orchards 

 of these trees, none of them receive proper treatment, and the 

 results are evidenced by unkempt, scraggy trees dying from 

 sheer exhaustion. 



While Siphanta was abundant in the vanilla gardens, it did 

 not appear particularly harmful. A species of thrips in tno 

 flowers was complained of, and, worse still, some fungus dis- 

 ease occurring within the vine stems seemed to give the vanilla 

 growers some concern. 



Some casual observations on lantana were made. This plant 

 was found infested with all its known insect pests except the 

 leaf miner and lantana scale. 



