478 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



1909, Mr. Knowles, in his report on coco-nut 

 pests to the Colonial Secretary referring to 

 this moth, stated : " In my opinion the effects 

 of this insect are chiefly responsible for the 

 unproductiveness of coco-nuts on this island." 



It is believed that Taviuni is free from this 

 pest at present, and it has not been observed 

 by the writer in any part of Vanua Levu which 

 he has visited. 



The distribution of this insect has been by 

 no means an easy matter to ascertain, owing to 

 the fact that following a period of activity of a 

 few months there is a quiescent period of 

 several months when no trace of the moth is 

 to be seen. Their disappearance still remains a 

 complex puzzle, as diligent searches for the 

 eggs at these quiescent periods have resulted 

 in complete failure. It was thought that these 

 stages in the life-history of the moth might be 

 spent in the egg state, but careful searches for 

 these among the debris and fibre around the 

 trunks of palms were unsuccessful. It was again 

 thought that possibly the moths of certain 

 generations might at this time of the year 

 migrate to another host plant for a time, and 

 after having there completed a series of gener- 

 ations return to the coco-nut. This moth has, 

 however, never been observed on anything 

 but the coco-nut palm and the Royal palm 

 (Oreodoya regia] and of the latter there are a 

 very limited number in Fiji. 



New-comers to Viti Levu are at once struck 



