Year: 1993
Type: article
Abstract: During the summer of 1992, an extensive outbreak of the croton caterpil lar, Achaea janata, occurred on the shrub Christmas berry, Schinus terebinthifolius, along the west coast of the island of Hawai'i.The outbreak was first reported in July 1992, and follow-up surveys disclosed pockets of infested trees from Kailua-Kona to South Point.Achaea janata populations in some areas were heavy enough that trees were totally stripped of their foliage.Populations at any one site usually remained high for only one generation.Larvae were readily detected in affected areas until the infestations subsided in December 1992.By February 1993 there were no signs of Achaea activity on Christmas berry.Achaeajanata (Linnaeus) is a large, immigrant noctuid (wingspan ca.6.5 cm) that is well established throughout the state of Hawai'i.It is a general foliage feeder and Zim merman (1958) listed 25 host plants, but does not include the introduced plant Christmas berry, Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi.Achaea janata larvae are usually found infesting croton and castor bean plants and previously never observed by the authors attacking Christmas berry.Literature searches disclosed only one other outbreak recorded on Christmas berry that occurred nearly 40 years ago between Pahala and Na'alehu in Ka'u, Hawai'i Island, Hawai'i, in 1955(Davis 1955).
Authors: Ernest R. Yoshioka, George P. Markin
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: Monitoring Social Change: Health and Human Capital from Childhood to Adulthood, Monitoring Social Change: Dynamics Of Aging And Cognitive Function, Comprehensive Translational Science Analytics Tools for the Global Health Agenda, Carolina Population Center, Yale Clinical and Translational Science Award
OpenAlex ID: W32751678