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Insects Collected from Aircraft Arriving in New Zealand from Abroad

Species of Agricultural Significance

Species of Agricultural Significance

Two agricultural pests found in New Zealand, one native to this country and one cosmopolitan, figured among the collections made from aircraft at Whenuapai. Eucolaspis brunnea, the indigenous Bronze Beetle, which formerly fed on foliage of various native plants, now does considerable damage to crops of apple, pear, and smaller fruits in this country, serious infestations resulting in the loss of more than 40 per cent. of the annual crop (Lysaght, 1930). During December, 1946, a single dead example of this species was recovered from beneath a seat in the passenger compartment of an RNZAF DC3 from Fiji. This insect must have entered the aircraft during a previous stay in New Zealand, The occurrence is a page 23 good example of the danger of a pest insect being taken abroad from this country by means of aircraft. A somewhat similar instance has been reported from America, where Barber (1941) found Mexican flea beetles (belonging to the same Family as the New Zealand E. brunnea) of a species which causes serious damage to beans, on board aircraft following their arrival in Texas from Mexico. Again, Bruchus rufimanus, the widespread Broad Bean Weevil which is an introduced pest in both Australia and New Zealand (Tillyard, 1926), was reported from a DC3 on the Norfolk Island run in March, 1950, six dead examples being collected from the basal rim of the astrodome.

Prodenia litura is a widely distributed noctuid moth found in Australia and several islands of the Pacific, but not in New Zealand. The larvae of this species cause havoc among vegetable and other crops in various parts of the world. Among the more temperate of their food plants in Fiji are egg-plant, Acacia flowers (Veitch. 1924), marrow, pumpkin, and lettuce (Lever, 1947). Cabbage, tomato, and other kitchen and market-garden crops may also be attacked. Pemberton (1941), stating that P. litura is absent from Hawaii, reported that moths of this species sometimes fly into aircraft at night on Canton and Midway Islands. The same author (1944) later announced the collection of both living and dead examples of P. litura on board aircraft reaching Honolulu from these island bases. During 1950, dead moths of this species were twice recovered from the passenger compartments of DC4s which had made night landings at Canton Island during their flights to Whenuapai. There is no reason to suppose that P. litura would not become a major economic pest if once it became established in New Zealand.

Recent examples of the introduction of plant pests into new habitats, presumably by means of aircraft, concern Hawaii and Africa. Kevan (1946) reported a widespread outbreak of the Eucalyptus Weevil, Gonipterus scutellatus Gylh., among eucalypts in Kenya and Eastern Uganda, and considered that an introduction by air from South Africa had taken place at Kisimu Airfield. The second instance, of considerable significance from the New Zealand point of view, is that of the recent establishment of the Oriental Fruit Fly (Dacus ferrugineus var. dorsalis Hend.) in Hawaii. Pemberton (1946) considered that this serious pest was probably brought into Hawaii among infested fruit on board aircraft from Saipan.