FIJI'S RESEARCHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20864, 5 May 1931, Page 11

FIJI'S RESEARCHES.

VALUABLE SCIENTIFIC WORK.

ENEMY TO THE MOSQUITO

[from ottr own correspondent.] SUVA, April 11

Fiji has a right to be proud of its scientific work, and the results already achieved. The entomologists have done a world service in finding a remedy for the dreaded levuana moth, which threatened to affect the future of not only this colony, but of the whole of the Western Pacific. Then the cleaning up practically completely of the coconut scale was a great accomplishment.

Now Mr. Paine has returned with a fly which it is hoped is going to exterminate the coconut spike borer or moth. It is the erycia, and while it is now flourishing its very existence here to-day is a romance. Mr. Paine had a long and risky trip coming from Java with his "pets." Ho had to travel via Noumea, and in the progress two sections of the flies in turn canio out and died. At last he was reduced to two females after all the others had died. The prospects were anything but good,' but Mr. Paine stuck to his guns and carefully set about breeding his parasites. He fed the eggs to caterpillars and from them was rewarded by bright, active colonies of flies, all healthy and ready for work. The egg parasites (Telenomus) have bred well, and colonies have already been liberated on Benga and Devandra. Many more will soon bo ready.

Another parasite which Mr. Paine brought safely through many trials was the giant mosquito, named megarhinus, which preys upon the biting type which makes life so miserable at times. This large insect is not fond of blood and eats the larvae of the blood-loving mosquito. It is hoped to greatly modify the evil effects of the pest in and around Suva.