THE ANIMAL LIFE OF THE (JROFP. 385 



expanse, is also an important species in dcstfoNini; Lantana, as it lays its cu^s 

 at the base of the tiower cluster. On hatching', the minute caterpillar dius a 

 tunnel under the flowers and attacks and destroys them. The woi-k of this 

 species on the flowers is supplemented by the work of two species of Lantana 

 butterflies" of the family'^ of gossamer-winucd bulterfiies, both of which lay 

 their eggs on the flowers so that the young woi-nis may feed on the l)l()ssoiiis and 

 fleshy seed. These caterpillars are so abundant among the Lantana of Ihe 

 low lands that they occur in almost every tiower. The larger species'' has 

 delicate tails on the hind wings; the smaller species ^'^ is without the tails. 



The Lantana leaf-minci' " is a moth that is also effective, since it develops 

 in the leaves up to the pupa or resting stage. Often as many as a half dozen 

 of these miners occur in a single leaf and thus produce a serious drain on the 

 plant's vitality. A second leaf pest is the Lantana leaf-bug.^- which, being a 

 true bug, sucks its food. The young frequent the under side of the leaf and 

 are very destructive during the dry season. The Lantana gall-Hy ^•' -also does 

 much damage to the pest host by laying its eggs in the stem of the plant. These 

 form galls that further impair the plant's growth. 



All of these insects were introduced for a definite purpose under the direc- 

 tion of the distinguished entomologist Mr. A. Koebele, and none of them have 

 been observed to attack other ])lants. This is the first example in the world 

 of the introduction of insects to prevent the spread of a plant. As time 

 passes, the success of this delicate and difficult piece of scientific work is more 

 and more fully appreciated by scientists as well as citizens. It furnishes 

 science with another convincing example of the value of the study of ento- 

 mology, and indicates the ])ower of the subtle influence's in nature with which the 

 biologist is Avont to deal. 



The INIaui Blight. 



In speaking of Lantana insects, it is only just to say that the Lantana 

 blight or Lantana scale ^"* or ]\Iaui blight, Avhich is the great tea pest of 

 southern Asia, was not introduced by I\Ir. Koebele. It was first found at 

 AVailuku, on Maui, in 1889. In 1904 it was noted on Lant^ma on the wind- 

 ward side of the Tali, on Oahu. Since then it has spread even into Honolulu, 



" Tlii'rln sp]). "^ Liiciviiidiv. ^ Thi'chi rrliiaii. '" Thi'clii ar/rii. 



^^ C'reiiifistiihonihi/cia l(int<iiii-lhi Busek. ^- Tlii'lcdiu'miri lutithiiii'. ^'■^Eutri'to s/Kirsd. 



'^* Ortliezia insiijiiis. 



DEscRri'Ttox OF Plate. 



1. ^laiii Blight or Lantana Scale (Ortliezia insifjHi.s) on Ijantana. ''A well known 

 greenhouse pest of Europe and America. First observed on Maui, though not known l>y whom 

 or how introduced. Apjiarently a jtowerful enemy of Lantana, but unfortunately is destructive 

 also to a large variety of ornamental ])lants. ' ' 2. Excrenu'ut of American Toad [Htifo rolHin- 

 biensis) . The Toad feeds very largely on the Japanese beetle. 3. Florida Bed Scale 

 {Chrysomphalus ficus) on Citrus and Palm leaves. 4. Lnp(U'ted enemies of the Lantana 

 showing: (a) seed destroyed by fly; (b) ami (c) buttiTllies wlu>se young eat flowers and 

 leaves; (d) motli whose young eats the flowers; (e) injury causes! by thi^ lt>af -miner; (f) 

 moth of the leaf-miner ;•, (g) its pupa; (h) the Lantana leaf -bug ; (i) tlie gall and (j) the 

 fly producing it. 5. Pineapple scale (T)i(isj}is hroinilii}') on jiineapple leaves, (i. Australian 

 T^advliird beetles introihicfil into Hawaii. 



