A review of biological control introductions in Hawaii: 1890 to 1985

Author:

Funasaki, George Y., Lai, Po-Yung, Nakahara, Larry M., Beardsley, John W., Ota, Asher, K.

Title:

A review of biological control introductions in Hawaii: 1890 to 1985

Periodical:

Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society

Year:

1988

Volume:

28

Pages:

105-160

Subject:

Biological pest control Introduced species

Summary:

The absence of planning and evaluation before the introduction of any organism that was brought to Hawaii from 1890 to 1985, eventually led to a situation known as "biological control gone astray". Two examples of this were through the introduction of the mynah bird, (Acridotheres tristis tristis (L.) and the mongoose, (Herpestes autopunctatus autopunctatus). While the mynah was brought to Hawaii from India in 1865 for the purpose of feeding on armyworms that were infesting pastures, this bird was also accused of being responsible for the extinction of many native Hawaiian birds. It is also believed that this bird played a major role in the dissemination of the noxious weed, Lantana carmara L. Likewise, while the mongoose, another native of India, was imported from Jamaica in the British West Indies for the purpose of killing rats, it has also preyed on native fauna and a ground nesting bird. As a result, the purpose of this study was to examine whether or not organisms that were introduced to Hawaii for the purpose of biological control, were actually serving as attack hosts for the pest species for which they were meant to control or if they were preying on other species for which they were not meant to control.

Label:

Ecology

URL:

http://hdl.handle.net/10125/11226

Date:

1988

Collection:

Periodicals