64 
ing species, but it “lives among a beautiful creeping fern, 
which clothes the tree-trunks in wet forests.” 
Banza spp. [Locustidae.] 
Adults and young of several species are often found on 
ferns. 
PREDATORS. 
Several species of native Carabidae are always to be found 
in dead or hollow frond-stalks and decaying tree-fern stems, 
where they are in search of prey. An occasional predacious 
bug, and earwigs are also found in these places, as well as 
the peculiar crickets Prognathogryllus and allies. 
None of the native insects occurring on ferns in the Ha- 
waiian Islands are particularly injurious to the ferns which 
they infest. There are parasites working on them, which largely 
accounts for their control. There is no telling, however, but 
what they might prove serious pests, if by any chance some of 
them became introduced into other countries, just as the Aus- 
tralian fern-weevil has done in Hawaii. 
Besides the endemic insects, a few others are sometimes 
found on ferns in the forests of Hawaii; as, for example, the 
wax scale (Ceroplastes rubens Maskell) on Elaphoglossum re- 
ticulatum and other ferns, and some of the other introduced 
scales on different ferns, but none of them are of any con- 
sequence. 
Syagrius fulvitarsis Pascoe. [Molytinae.] 
This is known as the Australian fern weevil,* which first 
appeared in fern-houses in Honolulu, and then a little later 
(about 1904) became established in the open and spread to a 
considerable extent in the mountains in the immediate vicinity 
ef Honolulu, practically exterminating one of the most abun- 
dant ferns (Sadleria cyatheoides) and a species of Asplenium, 
but not harming the tree-ferns (Cibotium spp.) nor other ferns. 
The chief injury is done by the feeding of the larvae in the 
frond-stalks, killing them prematurely, and eventually causing 




* Ischiogonus syagrii Fullaway, a parasite on the fern weevil, was 
(discovered in Australia by C. E. Pemberton in April, 1921, and intro- 
duced to Hawaii. It became established quickly, but it yet remains to 
be demonstrated whether it will become as effective here as in Australia 
in controlling the pest. 
