Guam Insects

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Collection label data:

AM20090321.004
UOG Campus, Guam
B. Bourgeois 13 MAR 2009

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Roach caught in lab by Jim McConnell

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Maggots were found tunneling in stems of lettuce growing in an aquaponics operation. Four small black flies (BL=2.1mm) were reared out and identified as Melanagromyza splendida, AGROMYZIDAE. This fly was first collected on Guam in 1986. According to Schreiner 1991:

“This agromyzid fly is an internal borer in the stems and midribs of large leaves (Spencer 1973). Previously, it was known to attack Compositae and Umbelliferae, but on Guam it has been reared from tomato leaves and from midribs of mizuna, an Asian Brassica variety. The native distribution of this species is tropical and subtropical Americas, but it has been present in Hawaii for many years.”

Ron Mau lists M. splendida as a pest of lettuce in his Knowledge Master website for crop pests in Hawaii, and uses “safflower stemminer” as a common name. According to Spencer 1973:

“This species has been reared from lettuce in Hawaii but significant damage has not been reported.”

References

Schreiner, Ilse H. 1991. Sources of new insects established on Guam in the post World War II period. Micronesica Suppl. 3: 5-13.

Spencer, K. A. 1973. Agromyzidae (Diptera) of economic importance. W. Junk. The Hague. 418 pp. Available online in Google Books.

Label Info

Collection label:

AM20090321.002a,b,c,d
reared from maggots tunneling in lettuce stem
Triton Farm, Yigo, Guam
13.53275N 144.87232E
M. Marutani 21 MAR 2009

Determination label:

AGROMYZIDAE
Melanagromyidae splendida Frick 1953
Det. A. Moore 17 APR 2009

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AM20090321.001
See Jesse Babmba for details.

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Rhyzobius lophanthae

Adult R. lophanthae were collected at Ritidian Point, Guam, in the week prior to the trip to Palau. These were kept refrigerated in plastic vials equipped with piece of dental wick soaked in 10% honey which plugged a hole in each lid.

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

Eulophid Attacking Casuarina

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Ortheziids feeding on Chromolaena odorata. Specimen code AM20090311.001. Collected at Mount Santa Rosa, Guam at LBAM trap 002.

Collection label data:

AM20090311.001
ex Chromolaena odorata
Mt. Santa Rosa, Guam
13.54318 144.91277
A. Moore 11 MAR 2009

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These bugs belong to the family Aradidae, the “flat bugs”.  Aradids feed on fungus and are not considered to be agricultural pests.

These were found on wood material (pallets etc.) at Andersen Airforce Base by USDA APHIS inspectors. This material came from the Naval Base and it was being shipped to Hawaii. The wood also contained termites and it was fumigated before leaving Guam.

Collection label data:

AM20090311.002
ex wooden pallets from Naval Base
Andersen Airforce Base, Guam
Marc Hall 10 MAR 2009

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Small immature thips feeding on culantro (Eryngium foetidum) leaves.  Body length of largest is about 0.8 mm.  They feed adjacent to the midriff and cause significant silvering.  Many carried fecal matter on their raised abdomen.  No adults were collected.

My guess is that this is the greenhouse thrips, Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Bouché).  This species was reported from Guam by D. Nafus in An Insect Survey of the Federated Satates of Micronesia and Palau, SPC Technical Paper No. 210. 1997.

Collection Data

AM20090208.001
ex culantra leaves
Guam: Tom Blas Farm
coll. J. Bamba 1 FEB 2009

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Senator Rory Respicio Wants Department of Agriculture To Meet Mandates

Written by Josh Tyquiengco, Pacific News Center – Guam, Saipan, CNMI, Asia-Pacific
Tuesday, 03 February 2009 17:02

Guam- The Department of Agriculture was the center of attention during this afternoon’s orientation hearing at the legislature. Committee on Rules and Natural Resources Chair Rory Respicio says he wants to help the agency achieve its mandates.
Some of the issues that were addressed during the hearing included the handling of the Guam Greyhounds, the control of the invasive species like the Rhinoceros beetle, and the status of the new indigenous fishing rights law. Respicio also says what he’d like to see happen is the department helping out local farmers by supplying them with the proper tools to succeed.
As a result of today’s discussions, Respicio says he is also working on piece of legislation to help the Department of Agriculture meet its mandates.

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