514 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL.84 



In 1926, J. D. Tothill reported concerning a Cleric! beetle intro- 

 duced into Fiji for the destruction of the Levuana caterpillar, and in 

 this report especially spoke of a Tachinid, Ptychomyia remota, of 

 which 300 adults were introduced in 1925 from Malaya. This report 

 states that 32,621 flies had been reared and liberated in 38 colonies, 

 and that the parasite was then spreading so rapidly that no further 

 liberations a])peared to be necessary. A rate of parasitism ranging 

 from 75 to 90 ])er cent had been noted. This experiment turned out 

 to be one of the UKjst dramatically successful ones in the history of 

 the work. 



In fact the Fiji entomologists have paid great attention to the 

 possibilities of parasite introduction. This is quite proper, from the 

 fact that the greatest successes in this work have been gained on 

 islands. Aside from the introductions mentioned, Mr. H. W. Sim- 

 monds brought in two species of Aphelinines from Tahiti in 1919 

 with moderate success. Mr, T. H. C. Taylor introduced a Clerid 

 beetle for the Levuana caterpillar, which, however, did not prove suc- 

 cessful. And there have been other introductions ; nothing, however, 

 meeting with a success comparable to that of the Tachinid for the 

 Levuana caterpillar, which was so striking that it deserves further 

 mention. 



The so-called Levuana caterpillar is the larva of a Zygaenid moth 

 {Levuana iridcscetis). It made its appearance in Fiji possibly as 

 early as 1871, but it did not attract much attention until about the 

 close of the World War. It fed upon the foliage of the cocoa palm 

 and to some extent upon other palms. It was feared that it would 

 spread over all the Pacific islands, destroying the coconut and bring- 

 mg calamity to the natives. 



In the Malay States a somewhat related caterpillar (Artona calox- 

 antha Hampson) also fed on coconuts. The entomologists in Malaya 

 reared a Tachinid parasite from this caterpillar which was. described 

 by Doctor Aldrich of the United States National Museum in 1925 as 

 Ptychomyia remota. On the chance that this parasite would attack the 

 Levuana caterpillar, it was imported into Fiji as mentioned in a pre- 

 vious paragraph. In 1928 Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell, of Colorado, 

 visited Fiji, and in an article published in the journal Science for 

 December 7, 1928, he si>eaks of this parasite and its introduction, in 

 the following words : 



Results were apparent in about six months. The fly spread with great 

 rapidity and in a short time the Levuana pest was practically a thing of the past. 

 When 1 was in Suva 1 was shown the coconut palms with fresh green foliage 

 ready to bear abundant fruit. I could only imagine from descriptions what they 



