UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 
. ~ 64 g- 
3 1262 09244 7654 
NOTES ON SUGARCANE PESTS IN HAWAII POE THE YEAR 1939 
"by 0 . H. Swezey 
. ; 1 ‘ ' * 
ArbrvLT rrlcrLtali.- has been comparatively uncommon throughout the year. No- 
where have the grubs been in sufficient quantity to cause any damage in canefields. 
There has not been any extension of the infested area in cane lands, but the light 
infestation previously noted in pineapple lends adjacent to the upper canefields 
of one plantation, has increased* s omewhat, and was recently reported as doing ser- 
ious damage to some of' the ratoon pineapple plants. As in recent years, the intro 
duced parasites have been the chief factors in. control of the pest in canefields. 
Damage by Rhabdocnenis obscura Boisd. has. been notedly on the decline of 
late. This may be ascribed to better control of rats (canes eaten into by rats 
being a favorite situation for the multiplication of the borer), the increased use 
of varieties of cane having a harder rind, and much elimination of holdover crops 
resulting from quota restrictions. At tljLe same time the Introduced New Guinea 
tachinid fly, Ceromasia sphenophori Vill., has continued its valuable assistance 
in checking the post. 
Perkinsiolla saccharicid a Kirk, has been rare throughout most of the Hawaii 
cane lands in 1939. owing to control by its numerous introduced natural enemies* 
most important of which is the egg-sucking bug Cyrtorhinus mundulus Bredd, 
The sugarcane lecaf roller (Omiodes accepta Butl.). which had become of slight 
importance in the last several years, again came into prominence in 1939* though 
no measurable losses are reported. "The fe™ plantations noticeably affected were 
situated at lower elevations and in drier situations than where .the former severe 
infestations occurred. It is possible that some of the newer seedling varieties 
being used are more susceptible to attack, or perhaps methods of culture may have 
resulted in the cane being more attractive tc the pest. As usual, parasites have 
been active in checking the post, the chief one being t the braconid Microbracon 
omiodivorum Terry. 
The nutgrass arnyworn ( Laphygm exempta Walk. ) became epidemic on all the 
islands and on many of the plantations early in 1939* end considerable damage was 
done to fields of young cane. The unusual epidemics in some cases were found to 
be correlated to presence of grass areas adjacent to canefields, or to insufficient 
control of gr.ass in the fields. The infestations soon came to an end at which tin* 
the natural enemies were found to have increased to an abundance. Considerable 
attention was given tc. the artificial spreading of the egg parasite Telenomus 
nawai i Ashm, This parasite has become increasingly important in recent years. 
The Chinese grasshopper ( Oxya ch inane is Thun.) has continued to be -scarce, 
with no field outbreaks, undoubtedly owing to the presence of the introduced 
Malayan egg parasite Scelio penberton Tinb. 
The black widow spider ( Latrodectus mac tans E. ) continues to be a menace in 
several of the sugarcane areas, as well as in other situations. At times the mud 
dauber wasps store up considerable numbers of them in their nests. An egg para- 
site, Baeus calif ornicus Pierce, was introduced from California in August and 
reared by the thousands for distribution, in the hopes of its becoming established 
and serving as a check to the spider. 
