News Bulletin of the Australian Entomological Society Inc.
Volume 25, Part 1, February 1989
Reg. by Australia Post; Publication No. QBG3480; Price: $2
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AUSTRALIAN
ENTOMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY
OFFICE BEARERS
President
Dr T.R.New
Zoology Department
LaTrobe University
Bundoora Vic 3083
(03) 4791111
Fax (03) 4785814
Secretary
Mr J. D.Sandow
Entomology, Agric. Dept.
Baron-Hay Court
South Perth WA 6151
(09) 3683256
Fax (09) 3681205
Chief Editor
Dr N.W.Heather
DPI Entomology Branch
Meiers Road
Indooroopilly Qld 4068
(07) 3779382
Fax (07) 8703276
Technical Editors
Dr B.K.Cantrell
DPI Entomology Branch
Meiers Road
Indooroopilly Qid 4068
(07) 3779418
Fax (07) 8703276
Dr P.G.Allsopp
Southern Sugar Experiment
Station
Box 65
Bundaberg Qld 4670
(071) 793228
Dr D.J.Rogers
DPI Entomology Branch
Box 23
Kingaroy Qld 4610
(071) 621355
Fax (071) 623238
Vico Prosident
Dr TJ. Aidadill Smith
CSIRO Entomology
Private Bag
Wembley WA 6014
(09) 3870640
Fax (09) 3876046
Immediate Past President
Mr T.Passiow
30 Dumbarton Drive
Kenmore Qld 4069
(07) 3784053
Treasurer
Ms A.R. Hill
Entomology, Agric.Dept.
Baron-Hay Court
South Perth WA 6151
(09) 3683250
Fax (09) 3681205
Business Manager
Mr J.F.Donaldson
DPI Entomology Branch
Meiers Road
Indooroopilly Qid 4068
(07) 3779419
Fax 8703276
Public Officer
Dr P.B.Carne
CSIRO Entomology
GPO Box 1700
Canberra ACT 2601
(062) 465077
Fax (062) 470217
Assistant Secretary
Mr D. F. Cook
Entomology, Agric. Dept.
Baron-Hay Court
South Perth WA 6151
Assistant Treasurer
Dr D.K. Yeates
Entomology, Agric. Dept.
Baron-Hay Court
South Perth WA 6151
(09) 3683246
Fax (09) 3681205
Nowe Bulletin Editor
Oy GD. Monteith
Queensland Museum
fox 400
South Briebane Old 4101
(07) 4407000
Fax (07) B461018
Assistant Bulletin Editor
Mr G.I Thompson
Queensland Museum
Box 300
South Brisbane Qid 4101
(07) 8407690
Fax (07) 8461918
(Office Bearers continued on
rear cover)
NOTICE
Statements made in
“Myrmecia” do not necessarily
represent the views of the
Australian Entomological
Society. Items printed herein
should not be referred to of
reproduced without permission
of the author of the material
Printed by:
All Clear Offset Printers,
15 Lamington St, New Farm
Qid 4005
mg MYRMECIA fa
Contents
Executive Quarterly Report.........c.ccccsescccsssesscesssarsresee 2
NOIRE TOE, eee vcoseredbesne deraseduapesiowladem 3
Bt ae ae eae aon oy me 3
A Note from your Treasurer ........ccsssssssessessesvssersneeeeneeees 4
Proposed Society Research Grants..,.........sssssersssseerneesees 4
Regional News
Australian Capital Territory............cccscsesessesseesesrsnnsnes 5
Western Australia.............csecscocsssscesesessnsneseesrsnnserersees 7
MI RSMM Lil asbetialaLaphethassoscorecis ies casseventoed a bio, 9
New South WalleS............ccscessssecssecesesessnessnssveesreeses 10
CITA CINE Ne OFcthsccaatboaee ene tse 14
eT ee Et 16
INTER ia js 0a sda th. L as ss ppones ht sicctees natin mee ener 17
INTROTIE TGUIOEY scevcssesesécestsesonnoaszsxtcastnossstaterdtaibetoons 17
News from Affiliated Societies
Entomological Society of Queensland.............ccerver» 19
Entomological Society of NSW..........ccsccsssessssessesven 19
Entomological Society of Victoria..........cccssrsesssssen 20
Overseas News
INOUE REMAIN Ls iddsoasisToosscvorbsrsRecmec nvcenticedeigteae stoasen 20
Insect Conservation—Things We Can Do.....cccsescscversorenr 20
Report of Conservation Committee...........ccscsseesseeren 22
Kakadu Power Line, Review of E.1.S..ccccccccssssssseserneerenens 22
CSUR FIIEE EWEN ID ost 6 si ch vactesniacecesnbetsesvereheceresborsooisbepes absenmvere 23
Hymenopterists’ Corner.........-sccecsesersecsessesservsreeeverveavanyes 24
Obituary — T.G. Campbell.....ssssssssssssseressvsvessvssesseesees 25
PUMIRarbe ssc institu eh yeas cMee hesncd dcheldichevivositensashvantl onacess 26
Skipper Butterflies of the WOrld...........cccscsecessessessereesessen 26
20th AGM and Conterence...........csssssseseserssssessesesserseen 26
Agenda for 20th AGM.......ssssssssesssesssecnvecseseessrsesesersrenstees 28
ObitUary — J..H. SZONt-IVANY.......cceccesseecsessesssesresneeneesves 28
CSIRO Journals Order FOrm.........csececsessecseseesseesveereeees 31
Proxy Nomination FOrm............sessessssssesessecsesessssenseeensenes 32
Deadline for Next Issue
Material for publication in the May issue of “Myrmecia”
should be in the hands of the Editor, Geoff Monteith, at his
address on the inside of the front cover by Friday, April 22.
Fax transmission may be used to (07) 846 1918.
Page 1
Editorial
This issue marks the change of the title of this publi-
calion from “News Bulletin of the Australian Entomological
Society” to “Myrmecia”. This was foreshadowed by a
decision at the Annual General Meeting in Perth in
September 1987,
As most readers will know, Myrmecia is the name of a
genus of familiar Australian ants commonly known as bull-
dog ants or jumpers. They form a group virtually restricted to
Australia (there's one species in New Caledonia) and they
are of international interest because of the primitive nature
of their social organization and morphology.
The bulldog ant has long been regarded as the insect
symbol of our society, a distinction earned not only because
of its uniquely Australian scientific interest, but also, as our
founding President, lan Mackerras, once pointed out
“because the bulldog ant is symbolic of the tenacity of the
entomologists who worked for the foundation of the
Australian Entomological Society in 1965”.
The content and coverage of “Myrmecia" will remain
essentially the same as the previous News Bulletin. To
reassure those who suspect that a periodical called
“Myrmecia” might be mostly about ants the cover design will
prominently feature a non-ant insect, changing each year.
This year we feature another well known Australian group of
insects, the giant thrips of the genus /do/othrips, based on
an illustration by Geoff Thompson of the Queensland
Museum. Other aspects of the layout may evolve a little
over the next few issues as we experiment with software
and printers,
GEOFF MONTEITH
Myrmecia Editor
Myrmecia Advertising Rates
Single Issue —_- Four Issues(One Year)
Full Page $60 $180
Half Page $35 $105
Quarter Page $24 $72
These rates apply for camera-ready copy supplied by
the advertiser. Where this is not supplied a small extra
charge may be made for preparation of the layout.
In addition loose inserts supplied by the Adverliser will
be included for $50 per enclosure. These should be of a size
which will not project beyond the pages of “Myrmecia”,
Page 2
Executive Quarterly
Report
MEETINGS
The Executive met on November 21, and December 15.
1988 and January 17, 1989.
FROM THE MINUTES
The Executive recorded with regret the passing of Mr
T.G. Campbell and Dr J.J.H. Szent-lvany.
DISCOUNTED SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR NEW MEMBERS
New members will now be able to take advantage of the
discounted subscription rates regardless of the date they
join the Society. This applies only to their first subscription.
For all other members, full subscription rates still apply after
March 1.
19TH AGM AND CONFERENCE
The Organising Committee of the very successful AGM
and Conference held in Brisbane has finalised the accounts
and sent a report to the Executive. The meeting realised a
profit of over $4000. Members of the Committee have also
provided a very useful list of do's and dont's based on their
experience. These hints will be passed on to the
committees organising the 20th and 21st AGMs.
MEMBERSHIP
The Executive accepted 8 nominations for membership
and elected 7 new members, The distribution of members is
as follows:
QLD 165 WA 40
NSW 150 TAS 25
ACT 120 NT 15
VIC 96 O/S 60
SA 70 Address Unknown Q
Membership by categories is:
Full 569 Honorary 6
Student 91 Joint 22
Retired 62 TOTAL 750
My rire ia
The Executive accepted resignations from:
Mr F.R, Allison Mrs J.A. Gardner
Ms S. Leighton Mr B.J. Lepschi
Terminations
The following members will now be struck off in accordance
with Clause 21(c) of the Constitution.
M. Arura FO/S GL. Kelly S NSW
A.Barannikow FNSW BC.Kohlmann SACT
P.M. Barrer FACT R.F.McCairns FNSW
J.H, Barrett FQLD = DJ. Merritt S O/S
G.P. Browning SSA M.R.Newton F?
P. Christy FSA A.F.L. O'Farrell R NSW
D.D.S.Esmail SO/S R.G. Pearson FQLD
A.-A. Dale S O/S B. Povey S QLD
A. Fernandes SSA N. Richardson FSA
L.R.Greenup FNSW _ E. Shipp F NSW
R.J. Hart FNSW AA. Stasiliunas S VIC
S. Hewa-Kapuge S VIC D.E.Swincer FSA
R. Hill SSA A. Traisiri S O/S
B.E. Hitchcock F QLD
J.F. Hutchinson F VIC
WHERE ARE THEY?
B.K. Vogelzang FSA
The Secretary has lost track of the following members,
Mr C.W. Cornwell (SA)
Mr M.R. Newton (SA)
Does anyone known their new addresses?
Mr A. Fernandes (SA)
Mrs LJ. Whitfort (QLD)
February 1989
New Members
WE WELCOME THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS:
Elected November 21, 1988
Mr D.F. Cook B.Sc. (Agric) Hons., Dept. of Agriculture,
Baron Hay Court, South Perth, WA 6151. David has recently
submitted his Ph.D. thesis at the University of Western
Australia, His interest is in the evolutionary significance of
structural and behavioural variants in insect mating systems.
He is currently employed by the WA Department of
Agriculture.
Dr |.M. and Mrs P.S. Coupar, 143 Brackenbury Street,
Warrandyte, VIC 3113. Mike and Pat are joint members
who work with the Lepidoptera. Pat studies rearing
techniques and Mike is a pharmacologist with an interest in
photography,
Mr R. Drueke, 86 Tanboura Avenue, Baulkham Hills,
NSW 2153. Rolf is a flavourist with a special interest in the
Noctuidae and Geometridae.
Miss G.M. Napier B.Sc. Hons., Centre for Environment
Toxicology, University of Technology, Sydney, Gore Hill,
NSW 2065. Gillian is a Ph.D. student studying the aquatic
toxicology of Australian streams and rivers.
Elected December 15, 1988
Mr A.K, Martin, BSc, PO Box 409, Bentleigh, VIC 3204,
Andrew is a technical sales manager with W.A, Flick & Co.
Pty. Ltd. He has written a number of articles on the methods
of evaluation of termite-proofing in building material.
Miss H, Wallace, BSc (Hons.), c/- Entomology
Department, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4067,
Helen is a post-graduate student interested in pollination
biology, particularly the insect pollinators of Macadamia.
Elected January 17, 1989
Mr G,P. Closs, BSc (Hons.), 21 Lee-anne Crescent,
Bundoora, VIC 3083. Gerard is a PhD student with an
interest in aqualic invertebrates.
Page 3
Address changes
CHANGES OF NAME, ADDRESS OR TITLE
Miss D. Adidharma, Department of Plant Protection,
Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia (SA)
Mr G.W. Anderson, Arno Bay, SA 5603(SA)
Mr J.H. Ardley, L'hirondelle, 6/50 Aubin Street, Neutral Bay,
NSW 2089 (NSW)
Or LB. Barton-Browne, 73 Wallawa Road, Nelson Bay,
NSW 2315 (ACT)
Mr R.M, Bull, Rhone Poulenc Rural, PO Box 335, Hamilton,
QLD 4007 (correction)
Dr J.H. Calaby, 77 Schlich Street, Yarralumla, ACT 2600
(ACT)
Ms G.F, Carruthers, 212 Old Hume Highway, Camden, NSW
2570 (NSW)
Mr A.C, Champion, c/- J. & P, Ward, 236 Old Northern
Road, Castle Hill, NSW 2154 (QLD)
Miss LJ. Charlton, c/- Department of Zoology, James Cook
University, Townsville, QLD 4811 (WA)
Mr S.G. Collins, Entomology Section, Berrimah Research
Farm, Berrimah, NT 0828 (Correction)
Dr |.M. Cook, Biometry Section, Department of Primary
Industries and Fisheries, PO Box 4160, Darwin, NT
0801 (NT)
Mr N.W.J. Crosland, School of Biological Science, University
of NSW, PO Box 1, Kensington, NSW 2033 (NSW)
A/Prof. R.H. Crozier (formerly Dr), School of Biological
Sciences, University of NSW, PO Box 1, Kensington,
NSW 2033 (NSW)
Mr G.J. Daglish, Entomology Branch, DPI, Meiers Road,
Indooroopilly, QLD 4068 (QLD)
Ms D.A. Davis, 5 Arding Street, Lane Cove, NSW 2066
(NSW)
Dr J.A. Davis, School of Biological and Environmental
Science, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150 (WA)
Mr K.D, Fairey, PO Box 42, Ravesby, NSW 2212 (NSW)
Dr G. Farrell (formerly Mr), Department of Zoology, La Trobe
University, Bundoora, VIC 3083 (VIC)
Mr T.L. Fenner, change postcode trom 5794 to 0801
Mr G.O. Furness, 62 East Terrace, Loxton, SA 5333 (SA)
Mr M. Grimm, Department of Agriculture, Albany, WA 6330
(WA)
Page 4
Mrs J. Grigg, 639 Gold Creek Road, Brookfield, QLD 4069
(NSW)
Mr B.S. Hacobian, 26A Emu Road, Glenbrook, NSW 2773
(NSW)
Mr RJ. Hardy, “Thorniea”, RMB 2461, Pawleena Road,
Sorell, TAS 7172 (TAS}
Dr D.G. Holdom, Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations, PO
Box 86, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068 (USA)
Dr P.A. Holdsworth, c/- DP! Standards Branch, Meiers
Road, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068 (QLD)
Mr M.M, Hunting, 49 Menzies Drive, Sunbury, VIC 3429
(VIC)
Dr J. Landsberg (formerly Ms), Ecosystems Group,
Research School of Biological Sciences, PO Box 475,
Canberra, ACT 2601 (ACT)
Dr R.N. McCulloch, 36 Victoria Street, Forestville, SA 5035
(SA)
Mr J.F. Madsen, 6 Brisbane Street, Lorn, NSW 2320 (NSW)
Dr M.B. Malipatil, change postcode from 5794 to 0801
Dr E.J. Reye, RV “Cooloola”, c/- Entomology Department,
University of QLD, St Lucia, Qld 4067 (QLD)
Dr P.M. Ridland (formerly Mr)
Dr G.H.L. Rothschild, Director, Bureau of Rural Resources,
DPIE, Barton, ACT 2600 (ACT)
Mr DJ. Scambler, 1 Bernard Street, Ballina, NSW 2478
(NSW)
Mr G.B. Smith, 9 Cumbee Lane, Caringbah, NSW 2229
(NSW)
Mr RJ. Stegeman (formerly Mr RJ. Brieze-Stegeman), 57
Thomas Street, Toowong, QLD 4066 (QLD)
Mr P.M. Tap, 64 Bridge Avenue, Oak Flats, NSW 2529
(NSW)
Mr J.A. Vranjic, Dept. Botany, Australian National University,
GPO Box 4, Canberra, ACT 2601 (ACT)
Mr A.P. Walford-Huggins, 9 Caroline Street, Yeppoon, QLD
4703 (QLD)
Dr D.K. Yeates (formerly Mr)
Mr A. York, c/- 1 Kilpa Place, St lves, NSW 2075 (NSW)
Myrinac a
A NOTE FROM YOUR TREASURER
Many thanks to all the superbly organized people who
have paid their subscriptions early (230 or 31% of the
membership at 15 January). For those of you who haven't
done so yel, please remember that the last date for the
discounted membership subscription price is 1 March, After
that date subscriptions revert to the full price of $30 for full
members, $15 for students or retired members and $35 for
joint membership. Please pay the correct amount. It's
inconvenient for both of us if | have to send a bill for $5 or
$2,50, but it's unfair to other members if | don't.
CSIRO journals are again available at concessionary
prices for Society members. The 1989 price list is included
in this News Bulletin. Members wishing to begin or renew
subscriptions are requested to send the relevant details and
a cheque for the full amount (payable to the Australian
Entomological Society) to me c/- Entomology Branch, Dept
Agriculture, Baron-Hay Ct, South Perth, WA 6151 before 15
March. | cannot quarantee to get concessionary prices after
this date.
ANNE R. HILL
(Treasurer)
AUSTRALIAN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
RESEARCH GRANTS
The Executive is examining the possibility of
establishing a research/ravel grant scheme to lurther
encourage entomological research, and to put some of the
Society's funds to more productive use. The grants would
be derived from interest accrued in a special account set up
for the purpose.
Details of the proposal are still under discussion but
broadly the scheme might take the following form. A sum of
around $2000 would be made available annually. Grants
would be allocated by a selection committee chaired by the
President. The number, scale and quality of applications
would largely determine the number of projects supported.
The Treasurer is preparing a detailed proposal for
distribution to Regional Councillors prior to the 37th Council
Meeting. The proposal may then be put to the AGM in
Sydney.
Ideas, comments and suggestions would be most
welcome. Additional copies of the proposal will be available
from the Secretary.
February 1989
Regional News
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
CSIRO Division of Entomology
In the face of severe budget cutbacks within agricultural
research in CSIRO, morale in the Division has been
maintained, largely because of the public profile of Max
Whitten who has defended the need for science funding
over the last six months. Many members of this Division
joined other scientists in Canberra at a rally outside the
National Science and Technology Centre late in November.
The rally was to bring attention to the poor funding to
science under the current government. Attendance was
good despite the wet weather and the rally received good
press locally and nationally.
It is a bit hard to locate some Division members these
days. Rod Mahon and Keith Wardhaugh have been
spending quite a bit of time on Flinders Island, Bass Strait,
as part of the sheep blowlly program. However, Rod Is
currently in South Africa/Zimbabwe with the screw-worm
program.
Roger Farrow has been overseas again. He visited
Kenya to review research proposals on the desert locust by
the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology,
Kenya. In Eygpt he attended a meeting held by UN
Development Program which was interested in initiating
large research programs on the desert locust. The meeting
recommended a network system be set up to determine
which groups could undertake what research.
Jonathan Banks has visited both the USA and
Philippines to discuss various aspects of controlled
almospheres in stored grains. The Philippines trip was to
investigate a possible ACIAR project on whole storage
sealing as a means of insect control.
The Echium program is progressing quickly since the
injunction was removed from the Division late last year.
Mass rearing of the leafminer Dialectica has commenced
now that it is out of quarantine. Field releases are expected
to occur in February at five sites including Braidwood,
Jugiong and Deniliquin. Adults of the weevil Ceutorhynchus
larvatus have now emerged from eggs laid in Canberra.
Grubs of this beast eat the roots while the adults attack the
foliage. Releases hopefully will commence sometime in
Page 5
autumn. The Division will host a meeting (1-3 February)
which aims to coordinate national Echium research. It will
be attended by entomologists from ACT, Queensland, New
South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western
Australia.
Work is also progressing on the biological control of
thistles. Jim Cullen has been making releases of the seed
head weevil, Rhinocullus cornicus which feeds on Carduus
thistles (both nodding and slender thistles).
Wendy Milne and Paul Wellings organised an aphid
workshop held in the Division in late August. It followed on
from two previously held at the former CSIRO Research
Station at Warrawee, Sydney, in 1982 and 1985. The
workshops bring together researchers from all over Australia
and New Zealand in both government and universities who
work on aphid biology and ecology.
The Russian Wheat Aphid, Diuraphis noxia, has caused
major crop losses in the USA in the past two years and
continues to expand its geographical range. Given the level
of concern about this pest the Division hosted a one day
workshop on 23 November. Thirty-nine representatives
from Commonwealth organisations, State Departments of
Agriculture and the industries concerned, wheat and barley,
met to discuss the threat posed by this serious pest.
Discussions centred on the development of a coordinated
national management plan.
The molecular biology group is currently undergoing a
large change in personnel. Drs Rob Saint, Rick Tearle and
Abigail Elizur are moving to University of Adelaide. Dr
Alagone Sriskanthra has joined Dr Peter Christian to
undertake the genetic engineering of nuclear polyhedral
virus of Heliothis spp. Sri has worked for a number of years
with Biotechnology Australia on the immunisation of cattle
against the cattle tick Boophilus microplus using
recombinant technology. A number of other scientific
appointments in the molecular group will be announced over
the next few weeks. Two PhD students have also joined the
Division: Anthony Parker (formerly University of Melbourne),
who will undertake a molecular analysis of organophosphate
resistance in the sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina with Robin
Russell, and Peter Campbell (from ANU) who will study
juvenile hormone esterase with Marion Healy.
Dr Joan Lai-Fook (University of Toronto) is visiting Peter
Smith for twelve months, They are trying to isolate the
factors(s) which reduces receptivity in female Lucilia after
Page 6
they have mated. Dave Holdom (BSES Brisbane) is
spending three weeks with Richard Milner to study the
control of soldier fly using Metarhizium.
Anne Frodsham (formerly of this Division) visited
Canberra with her husband, Dr Rich Roush, who is with the
Department of Entomology, Cornell University. Although the
\rip was largely a private one, Rick presented a seminar on
‘The management of resistance to insecticides and to
genetically engineered plants’.
In November the Division was host to 25 international
agricultural science journalists who were given a guided tour
of our good works,
Australian National Insect Collection
Within ANIC, activity resembling that of an ants’ nest
has been observed, particularly around Bob Taylor's room.
Dr Pierre Jasson (Paris) is half way through a five month
visit and has the benches covered with Myrmecia nests, for
behavioural studies. Pierre has also worked in central
America and showed us a film of some neotropical ants.
Other visiting myremecophiles include Roy Snelling (Los
Angeles County Museum) in the course of a circum-
perambulation of the continent, John Sudd (Hull University,
UK) and Bede Lowery (Parramatta). Dr Phil Ward and
Steven Shattuck (University of California at Davis) are
collecting Leptomyrmex and Dolichoderinae respectively, in
eastern Australia and Papua New Guinea until March. The
annual Japanese winter avoidance saw Drs K, Ogata
(Kyushu University) and K. Masuko (Mishima) studying
Australian ants in ANIC, A compatriot, Dr Nori Ueshima
(Matsusaka) worked with the orthopterists, and orthopterist
and behaviourist Dr Roger Bland (Michigan) will be with us
lor some months.
lan Naumann wasn't bereft of visitors either, with Roy
Snelling discussing wasps, Dr Vergilio Caleca (Palermo)
studying Scelionide and Phil Weinstein (Waite Institute)
looking at our collections of trigonalid wasps. Bert Orr
(Griffith University) dropped in to reminisce about Sulawesi
with Marianne Horak. Wayne Houston (Northern Territory
Musum) tried to find names for his cashew pests. Larry
Orsak (California and Wau) took a break on his way to his
Earthwatch project and battled with the PNG immigration
department in Canberra, leaving a little time to photograph
more Papuan moth types. A more recent arrival is palaeo-
entomologist Dr Kukalova-Peck (Ottawa), pleased to leave
Myrmecia
behind Canadian temperatures of -30°C. Jarmila will be
working on beetle wing venation with John Lawrence.
When visitors allow, everyone has been attempting to
identity the material lan Naumann and Tom Weir assiduous-
ly collected on the CALM project in the Kimberleys. Walter
Dressler and Jo Cardale have been putting in long hours
sorting this material - the question is, will it be complete
before Jo, John Lawrence and John Balderson visit Christ-
mas Island in April. Dave Rentz has been in the field twice
recently, to the super hot Tanami Desert with Steve Morton
(Wildlife, Alice Springs) and Nori Ueshima, then shortly
afterwards to Lord Howe Island. Dave was pleased with the
collecting in both sites - although he didn't find the “extinct”
Lord Howe stick insect, he unexpectedly found another
spectacular, possibly undescribed, phasmatid not 100
metres from his residence, John Lawrence, Tom Weir and
Michael Hanson (who has returned to Copenhagen) were
successtul in collecting live “paussid” beetles (Arthropterus)
from the Mallee of western Victoria. These laid eggs and
produced the first paussid larvae known from Australia.
Fellow Coleoplerists Ross and Joyce Bell (Vermont)
continued their search for the elusive Rhysodidae— so far
their five months in Australia has produced 5 adults. They
are now in Tasmania with George Ball (Edmonton), who we
will be pleased to see at ANIC in late February.
Ebbe Nielsen has been travelling, first to Queensland
where he, Marianne Horak and lan Common collected in the
Lamington rainforest, then twice to Tasmania to survey in
the World Heritage Areas with Peter McQuillan. Both were
wel (Tasmania being also cold) which restricted helicopter-
based access to Tasmania's high ground. John Balderson
combined mountain trekking with collecting Orthoptera in the
Himalayas and brought back some spectacular photo-
graphs. Pete Cranston visited Japan to lecture on alleray to
chironomid midges (not to be sneezed at in Japan - it may
be the major Japanese environmental allergen), then saw
snow on the Japanese Alps when visiting the Government
built personal research lab of a taxonomic colleague.
Mary Carver's room Is filled with Sphagnum which is
taxing her abilities to retrieve peloridiids from therein. Next
door, Gerry Cassis’ room Is filled with boxes, preparatory to
his departure on a half year scholarship to work on
Hemiptera in Sydney at the Australian Museum. He will
return to ANIC in winter to work on Dermaptera with ABRS
funding. For news of Penny Greenslade's activities in
February 1989
Tasmania we will have to read Lionel Hill's report - her
Christmas return to Canberra was brief but she gave a
glowing account of the fauna.
Bruce Halliday was very pleased to receive some
voluminous Soviet Acarological tomes from Academician
Krivolutsky, who visited him during the IUCN Canberra
meetings. Bruce will be a participant in the workshops on
Aquatic Acari (and Ephemeroptera) to be held at the Murray-
Darling Freshwater Research Centre, Albury-Wodonga.
"Coopers and Cladists” have continued to savage all
papers discussed, so the authors shouldn't be divulged.
For imminent visitors to Canberra with a systematic bias (pro
or contra) put in your diary that meetings are held every
second Wednesday (starting from 4th January) - Canberra's
newest tourist attraction.
ANU Zoology Department
Across the road at ANU the students are mostly on
vacation allowing Penny Gullan time to make microscope
slides and write paper(s). Chris Reid's progress in PhD
writing is analogous in pace to “Insects of Australia’, but he
has restricted his field work somewhat. Se Kim has
completed his massive tome on lauxaniid systematics, soon
to be examined.
JOANNE DALY AND
PETE CRANSTON
Regional Councillors
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Agriculture Protection Board
The long running Argentine ant campaign, which
commenced in 1954, was terminated in November 1988,
This was as a result of an Environmental Protection
Authority (EPA) recommendation that the use of heptachlor
lor Argentine ant control be withdrawn. Without heptachlor
the APB could not achieve eradication of individual
infestations of Argentine ants and hence could not contain
them. The EPA recommended IPM techniques be
developed to manage Argentine ants. As much research
has been done on this particular aspect in the USA: Peter
Davis will be travelling to the southern states of USA during
April and May to assesss the potential of various techniques.
Page 7
Department of Agriculture
Mike Grimm shifted from Esperance to Albany in
December. Mike is easing out of cereal aphid research and
in future will be concentrating on pasture entomology,
particularly interactions between pasture management,
grazing and insects. In November Mike attended the
Russian Wheat Aphid workshop in Canberra which was
supported by the Wheat Industry Research Council.
David Yeates visited Darwin in late November and met
with counterparts to discuss state approaches to the North-
ern Australian Quarantine Strategy (NAQS). He stopped off
at Kununurra to begin a 2 week review of the fruit fly
trapping programme in northern WA with Peter McFadden,
the local Department of Agriculture entomologist.
It was literally a ‘flying’ tour and trapping sites visited
inlcuded Halls Creek, Kalumburu Mission, Kuri Bay, Derby,
Broome, Koolan Island and Port Hedland. David and Peter
were also keeping their eyes and ears open for some
specific insect problems in the north, notably Mastotermes,
Jarvis’s fruit fly and Medfly. They reported no sign of Palm
leaf beetle, Mango seed weevil or the economically
important strain of Dacus aquilonis in WA. A highlight of the
lour was a coastwatch flight at 500 ft over the islands at the
north of King Sound, near Derby. David flew back to
Brisbane shortly after returning to Perth to receive his PhD
from the University of Queensland entitled ‘The systematics
and behaviour of Australian bee flies of the sub-family
Lomatiinae (Diptea:Bombyliidae), He also visited QDPI and
the Queensland Museum while in Brisbane.
Peter McFadden has received a welcome addition to his
staff with the transter of Belinda Wykstra from Perth to
Kununurra, From all accounts Belinda is settling in well. In
Kununurra Mirex has recently received limited registration
lor use against Mastotermes by specially trained operators.
Bill Woods attended a conference on ‘Two-Spotted Mite
Control in Horticulture’ at Shepparton in January. Bill also
called in on Del Fosse and discussed bio-control of
Paterson's Curse,
Releases of the moth Dialectica scalariella were made
in the Swan Valley just east of Perth in October. Limited
results appear promising with apparent establishment and
recoveries up to 100 m from the released site,
Keith Wardhaugh (CSIRO) visited in January for
discussions with Nic Monzu on possibilities for collaborative
work on sheep blowllies. Discussions also included intro-
Page 6
duction of dung beetles for bush fly control, a prospective
project which the Department of Agriculture may take on.
Department of Conservation and Land Management
lan Abbott reports a significant decline in the
populations of Jarrah leaf miner and gum leaf skeletonizer.
This is the first major decline observed since 1983 and
probably reflects the cool wet winter just passed.
Curtin University
Smoke has been seen emerging from windows of the
School of Biology on account of the frenzy of writing
currently going on. John Van Schagen and Tony Postle are
inthe throes of completing their Masters and PhD theses
respectively. In addition Jon Majer is writing up current
research before proceeding on study leave to Brazil in June.
Harry Recher from the University of New England is
currently visiting to continue work with Jon Majer on their
joint investigation into the abundance of insects in eucalypt
canopies and use of such canopies by birds.
Health Department
In November Tony Wright initiated a study of human
infection with Australian encephalitis at Billiluna (south of
Halls Creek).
Mosquitoes were uppermost in Tony's mind in January
with much media attention being focussed on a significant
rise in the number of reported cases of Ross River virus
from the south of the state especially Mandurah, Bunbury
and Perth. A successful approach to Government was
made to fund a centrally organized mosquito control
compaign in susceptible areas.
Western Australian Museum
Roy Snelling from Los Angeles County Museum of
Natural History paid a visit while on a private tour.
The appointment of a curator of Arachnology has been
made. Mark Harvey, currently with the Museum of Victoria,
is expected to take up the position in March.
In August, Peter McMillan and Terry Houston spent a
week in pastoral country 250 km N/E of Geraldton. While
Peter collected insects in general, Terry collected fossil
brood cells “ presumed to be of bee origin". Terry also
studied the nesting behaviour of Amegilla dawsoni,
Dawson's bee
Myrmecia
During August and September, Bill Humphreys
coordinated a party of arachnologists and spelaeologists
who explored caves in the Cape Range, N/W Cape and
sampled invertebrate cave fauna. This was Bill's second
visit to the caves in order to study the biology of resident
schizomids (Arachnida). Included in the party were Mike
Gray from the Australian Museum and Stefan Eberhard,
University of Tasmania. Some interesting troglobitic insects
were obtained during this last visit.
Graeme Smith of Bayer Australia visited the Museum in
October to examine and sort the Thysanura collection.
Murdoch University
A Wetland Classification Project has been initiated and
will involve Jenny Davis and Stuart Bradley (of Murdoch Uni}
and Ron Rosich (Water Authority of WA). The project will
investigate invertebrate community structure and water
quality in 40 urban wetland areas around Perth. Funding is
being provided by the Australian Water Research Advisory
Council (Commonwealth) and EPA (WA) and the Water
Authority of WA.
Visitors
Henry and Anne Howden from Carleton University of
Ottawa visited the WA Museum to inspect the weevil and
geotrupid beetle collections. They also had discussions with
staff at CSIRO and the Department of Agriculture.
University of Western Australia
Leigh Simmons (Department of Zoology, University of
Liverpool, UK) visited The University of Western Australia for
10 weeks under a Royal Society grant to work on the mating
system of an undescribed zaprochiline tettigoniid, Darryl
Gwynne returned from Canada (Erindale Campus, Univer-
sity of Toronto) with Sarah and the children to complete
some field work on two local tettigoniid species. Heiner
Romer (Ruhr University, Bochum) and Jurgen Rheinlaender
(University of Frankturt) visited the University of Western
Australia in February to set up a research programme for
1989/1990 looking at the acoustic receptor systems of
bushcrickets,
lan Dadour eventually left The University of Western
Australia after a fellowship in Germany. He has taken up a
fellowship with the biological control group al the Waite
Institute,
February 1989
The department gains two new postgraduate
students from Thailand, Superoek Watanasit (PhD) from
the Prince of Songkla University to study the mating
behaviour of dragonflies and Saruta Sudhi-Aromna (MSc)
who will be looking at the mating patterns of aphiline
parasitoids.
PETER DAVIS
Regional Councillor
VICTORIA
Plant Research Institute, Burnley
Amanda Kobelt completed her Honours thesis in 1988
entitled, “Estimation of preliminary economic thresholds for
Heliothis punctigera Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in field peas,
using development and consumption rates", jointly
supervised by Mark Smith of PRI and Dr Seamus Ward of
La Trobe University. She will begin a PhD thesis later this
year on Heliothis population dynamics in field peas. Another
Honours student, Roger Lowe, will work on aspects of pea
weevil (Bruchus pisorum) reproduction in 1989, again jointly
supervised by Mark Smith and Seamus Ward.
The Victorian Government's recently released Economic
Strategy for Agriculture has resulted in several new positions
for PRI. These consist of four Science-1 positions, two
Technical Officers and two Technical Assistants. One of the
Science-1 positions is for an entomologist to work on
pasture pests, especially redleqged earth mite and
endophyte effects on pasture insects.
Garry McDonald had visits from several Canberrites in
late January to discuss their collaborative work on
armyworm migration, These included Roger Farrow and
Alistair Drake (CSIRO Entomology) and Kim Bryceson
(Australian Plague Locust Commission).
Greg Baker (SA Dept. of Ag.) visited in November to
discuss pea weevil (Bruchus pisorum) with Mark Smith.
Peter Bailey (SA Dept. of Ag.) visited in January to
discuss pea weevil with Janet Comery and Mark Smith and
garden weevil (Phiyctinus callosus) with Paul Horne. He
then travelled to Shepparton with David Williams to attend
the National Mite Control Workshop sponsored by the
Horticultural Research and Development Corporation. The
main aim of the workshop was to determine priorities for
Page 9
research. Bill Woods (WA Dept. of Ag.) and Frank Page
(QLD DPI) also visited entomologists at PRI and attended
the mite control workshop. Other workshop participants were
Vic Edge (BCRI, Rydalmere), Col Bower (Agric. Res. and
Vet. Centre, Orange), Margaret Williams (TAS Dept. of Ag.)
and Les Readshaw (CSIRO, Canberra),
Prof. Danthanarayana (Univ. of New England) visited
Peter Stahle in January to discuss various entomological
lopics.
Michael Braby has left PRI, where he was involved with
stored product entomology, for James Cook University.
There he will be undertaking a PhD looking at tropical
butterflies. Due to this move he has had to relinquish the
position of Victorian Regional Councillor for the AES, which
has been taken over by Janet Comery, also of PRI.
Museum of Victoria
Ken Walker and Tim New, recently conducted a six
week field trip to Cape York Peninsula and north Queens-
land. The trip was jointly funded through La Trobe University
and a research grant from Bayer Australia Ltd.. The collect-
ing trip began with work around the Cairns and surrounding
districts then travelled north to collect around such areas as
Laura, Coen, Mcllwriath Range, Silver Plains, Iron Range
and Bamaga. Collecting results were sporadic and in some
Cases surprising. Large collections of native Australian bees
were made (approx. 8,000 specimens), but light trapping
throughout the entire trip produced very poor results, includ-
ing localities such as Iron Range. Apart from the bees,
approximately 1,000 moths and several hundred
Neuroptera, Trichoptera and Coleoptera were collected.
Arturs Neboiss recently celebrated (25 January) his 35th
year of service in the Entomology department. During this
time he has seen many changes, but the one change he has
not experienced is a new Museum. The current Government
aspirations to move us lo a new site appears to be the most
hopeful and workable plan proposed in the last 40 years.
There will be a water mite and mayfly workshop in
Albury from 13-15 February. This is being organised by
Rhonda Butcher of the Peter Till Laboratories in Albury.
Alan Yen is about to start a survey of relict patches of
native grassland in the western regions around Melbourne to
assess ground dwelling invertebrates,
Page 10
Universities
Entomological life has been very quiet in the Victorian
Universities the past few months. The erratically cool and
wet summer (even for southern Victoria) has hampered field
work. Our President, Tim New for example, fresh from a
successful collecting trip to Cape York has of late been
microscope-bound rather than his usual summer agenda of
collecting Lepidoptera throughout the high country. David
Britton however, has accelerated his survey work of
Lepidoptera in pine plantations. Evan Schmidt is temporarily
north leading an insect study group on the ANZSES
expedition and attempting to convert Geoff Monteith to the
Psocoptera. Whereas Geoff has been reported to describe
Evan as being a “bit psococentric”, Another possible
psocentric from La Trobe Zoology is Nancy Endersby, the
daughter of long-term AES member lan Endersby. Nancy
has just received first class honours with her thesis “The
Psocoptera of the Grampians and Mount Arapiles with an
overview of the Victorian Psocoptera”. Not content with this
success, Nancy has landed herself a plum job at the
Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (DARA!)
Vegetable Research Slation in Frankston, working with their
minimum chemical use project.
CSIRO Division of Forestry and Forest Products
Members in southern Queensland and New South
Wales are warned to be on the lookout for John French who
will shortly be travelling to Townsville on a termite collecting
trip. John is after the Giant Northern Termite, Mastotermes
darwiniensis but not just for a few taxonomic specimens;
John intends to bring back a whole truckload. The trick is to
get the termite colonies (each in a 44 gallon drum) safely
back to CT rooms in Victoria before they suffer too much
from the cold. So don't expect any lengthy visits from John
on the way ...
DON EWART AND
JANET COMERY
Regional Councillors
NEW SOUTH WALES
SYDNEY METROPOLITAN AREA
Forestry Commission of NSW
Bob Eldridge is investigating the application of
nematode parasites for biological control of the termite
Glyptotermes spp. in transmission poles. Bob Eldridge,
Debbie Kent, and Jack Simpson are studying the biology
and ecology of the ambrosia beetles Austroplatypus
incomcurtus and Notoplatypus elongatus. The programme
of biological control for Sirex is continuing.
Australian Museum, Sydney
Gerry Cassis has been awarded a Museum Visiting
Fellowship and will be arriving in mid-January from the ANIC
lo undertake a study of Australian Tingidae.
David McAlpine and Barry Day visited South Australia
and Victoria in search of Coelopidae and other acalyptrates.
David spent a few days studying the collections at the South
Australian Museum.
Intensive collecting activity on the NSW North Coast is
continuing. A malaise trap and yellow pans have been
accumulating large samples over 8 weeks from a site in
Nothofagus forest on the Gloucester Tops. Geoff Williams
and Dan Bickel attended a NPWS conference on rainforest
remnants held outside Lismore in November and collected in
the Nightcap Range, Iluka littoral rainforest and the Big
Scrub rainforest remnants. Geoff Williams has been busy
operating out of his stamping ground on the mid-North
Coast. A malaise trap he tends in littoral rainforest near
Harrington has yielded a rich bounty this spring. Shelley
Barker (University of Adelaide) visited eastern NSW and
teamed up with Geoff Williams and Stan Watkins of Caparra
for a collecting trip to the New England Tableland in mid-
December, but this buprestidological trip was hampered by
rain and cold weather.
Collecting activity will focus further south in late
January-early February. Dan Bickel has received money
from the Tasmanian NPWS to collect insects in the western
World Heritage areas. |n addition to mass sampling with
malaise traps and yellow pans, soil and litter samples will be
shipped to Mike Gray at the Museum to be berlesed for
invertebrates,
Visitors included: Penny Greenslade (ANIC) on
Collembola, Chris Thompson (US Nat. Mus.) on Syrphidae,
February 1989
Martin Meinander (Helsinki) on Neuroptera, Ev Britton
(ANIC) on Scarabaeoidea, George Collaros (Johannesburg,
RSA) on Lepidoptera and Coleoptra, Andrew Atkins
(Newcastle, NSW) on Hesperiidae, and Surakrai Permkan
(U of QLD) for two weeks on Tephritidae.
Army Malaria Unit, Ingleburn
Bob Cooper visited Jabiru, NT in preparation for a large
scale survey of Anopheles farauti to be undertaken in May.
Steve Doggett visited Mildura, Vie and Innisfail, Qld to
collect mosquitoes infected with microsporidian parasites.
Visitors included Dr Sylvia Meek, WHO Solomon
Islands, and Darren Waterson, a recent Sydney University
graduate, studying the organization of the Unit.
Macleay Museum, University of Sydney
The Macleay Museum has received large donations of
Coleoptera from G. Morages (Marseilles, France), and from
Allan Sundholm and Joe Bugeja. About 100 papers on
Lucanidae were added to the Museum's reprint collection.
Moriyuki Toyama, President of the Bamyu
Pharmecutical Company, Japan, came to inspect the
Museum's butterfly collection. Mr Toyama has a large
worldwide collection of butterflies.
Biological and Chemical Research Institute, Rydalmere
Chaos reigns while the BCRI Entomology Section is
being refurbished. During the renovations, some people
have had to move out of Rydalmere to other locales. The
Collection is totally closed from February-May 1989, and
only limited access is possible for the remainder of the year.
The following people will be temporarily transferred, and can
be contacted on the following numbers: Alan Clift, Andrew
Beattie, and Howard Greening will be at Parramatta [689-
5021]. Graham Baker will be at Seven Hills }622-6322].
Royce Holtkamp will be at Gosford [043-280-353]. All others
will be on site but may be difficult to contact. The main
switch [689-9777] should be able to put you through.
Murray Fletcher atlended a workshop on quarantine
regulations in November at the CSIRO, Canberra.
Visitors included Prof. Lee Hong Chang, Academica
Sinica, Beijing, to study infestations of wingless
grasshoppers. He presented a seminar entitled, “The
ecology of grasshoppers from Inner Mongolia”.
Page 11
University of New South Wales, Biological Science
Aola Richards has been made Australian representative
for the Orthopterists’ Society.
Michael Crosland has been awarded a fellowship from
the Rothmans Education Foundation to study the spread
and control of the European wasp, Vespula germanica, in
Australia.
Ross Crozier attended the recent meetings of the Ento-
mological Society of America in Louisville, Kentucky as an
invited speaker at a sex-ralio symposium and also took the
opportunity to present his work so far on honeybee
mitochrondrial DNA. He reports that the meeting was a very
lively one, especially for students of social insects, reflecting
an increasing interest in general insect biology in recent
years. Ross has unexpectedly been made head of school,
and takes comfort in the fact that it is only a two-year
appointment,
Pekka Pamilo from Helsinki will return to Australia for
three months from February, to complete a book he is
writing with Ross Crozier on social insect sex ratios, and to
work on social insect mitochondrial DNA.
Cathy Cohen plans to do honours work this year with
Ross Crozier, studying fig wasp sex ratios, and Con
Goletsos will be an honours student with Aola Richards.
University of New South Wales, CERIT
News from CERIT is limited as many staff members
have been taking holidays - even the insect cultures were
quietened down. During the break, Huie Nguyen was mar-
ried and has since returned to work. Heloisa Mariath spent
much of the holiday period in hospital, She is now fully
recovered and planning the CERIT 1989 seminar series.
Richard Walker, ABC Television Production Manager
visited CERIT seeking information on Diptera for a docu-
mentary to be produced in early 1989.
Lynette McLeod (nee Hutchinson), married Steve
McLeod in early January. Steve is doing a PhD on sheep
and kangaroo interactions at Fowlers Gap Arid Zone
Research Station. Lynette, who is AWC Technical Officer
on the arid zone sheep blowfly project, had a special
wedding present, she heard that she was awarded the much
sought after Australian Wool Corporation Post-graduate
Student Scholarship, to continue studies on the movements
and survival patterns of Lucilia cuprina in the arid zone.
Congratulations Lynette,
Page 12
Macquarie University, Biological Sciences
Dick Frankham and Mark Graham visited John
Oakeshott and Marion Healy at CSIRO Entomology in
November, to learn the microinjection method of P-element
transformation of Drosophila, and inserted an anti-sense for
the white gene, with the object of making variegated eyes.
The transformation was successful, but no variegated eyes
have yet been obtained. The relevance of this work is to the
production of variegated ornamental plants.
Dinah Hales was also briefly at CSIRO Entomology in
November, for the Russian Wheat Aphid Workshop. Aphids
morning, noon and late at night - what more could anyone
want! Eren Turak successfully completed his MSc (Qual.}
program and is now set to sort out the environmental
tolerances of Sitobion nr. fragariae and the 2n=18 and
2n=17 forms of Sitobion miscanthi. Rose Cowen has left us,
awaiting the arrival of her baby, and we will soon be looking
to appoint someone to take over the work on the cereal
aphid project. Di Hales had a brief period as Acting Head of
School over Christmas. ("Don't worry’, said the boss before
leaving for his holidays, “I've spent all the 1988 money, and
there isn't any for 1989!").
1988 Honours students with interests in insects or
onychoporans were all highly successful, and all got first
class honours. They were: Sandra Berry (mid-year
completion, now working at ANU), Susannah Eliot, lan
Oliver and Linda Tuffs.
Andy Beattie’s lab is a hive of activity, even more than
before, because PhD student Myriana Lefebre has decided
to investigate bee olfactory senses for her thesis topic. One
of Myriana's charges was unwise enought to sting Professor
Beattie, but the project is continuing. We welcome to
Macquarie Dr Stephen Handel, from Rutgers University,
New Jersey, as a Visiting Research Fellow. He will be
studying pollination and seed dispersal by insects. A
Macquarie University Postdoctoral Fellowship has also been
gained by Andy's group and someone will soon be
appointed to this position, to study demography of ant
colonies. Andy himself will be leaving in April for 4 months
OSP in the UK and USA, studying pollination by ants. He
will be delivering the keynote address at the Oxford
Symposium on Ant-Plant Interactions in July.
Mark Westoby and his wife Barbara Rice (Honorary
Associate of the School) will be mainly in the USA during
Mark's OSP. Mark will be at the University of Georgia,
Myrmecia
thinking about plants and social insects, and Barbara will
take the opportunity of visiting her brother, an entomologist
at Kearney Field Station in California. They, and PhD
student Lesley Hughes, will also be at the Ant-Plant
Interactions symposium in July.
Mark has a question for anyone going to South China -
what eats the privet there?
Louise Rodgerson, a graduate in Zoology from Monash,
has just joined Mark's lab to do her PhD. She will be work-
ing on seed dispersal by ants, with particular emphasis on
the question “Why is ant dispersal more common on infertile
than on fertile soils?” (If there are more seed predators
among the ants on fertile soils, why would this be so?).
Medical Entomology Unit
Sydney University Westmead Hospital
Richard Russell has returned from his Churchill
Fellowship suffering a little from travel trauma but otherwise
much enriched by the 5 months overseas. He visited Japan,
Canada, USA and UK, and while in Canada he also
attended the International Congress in Vancouver. The
study tour was quite comprehensive with regard to the 3
important aspects of public health concern for mosquito-
borne disease: surveillance, control and research. Overall,
he visited 6 universities or institutes in Japan with research
interests in mosquito-borne disease, discussed surveillance,
and saw field situations and municipal control operations
against pest and vector mosquitoes. In North America, he
visisted 19 university departments or governmental institutes
concerned with research and surveillance of mosquito-borne
disease, and 17 mosquito control agencies in 10 states -
virtually the entire range of situations where mosquitoes are
pests or transmit disease and are subject to control efforts in
the USA and Canada. In Britain, he visited 9 groups
throughout the country and although there are few concerns
with mosquitoes and disease locally, and there are no
mosquito control agencies such as in North America, there
are a number of research groups in universities and
institutes dealing with mosquito-borne disease in other parts
of the world, including Africa, Asia and South America, and
much of this is of relevance to the Australian scene.
The Unit has now embarked on its annual mosquito/
arborivus monitoring programme funded by/or the NSW
Depariment of Health; this year the programme will cover
almost all areas of the State - coastal and inland. Danielle
February 1989
Heilpern once more will be fully occupied with sorting the
collections, and Peter Wells will be busy processing samples
through cell culture for virus isolation with ELISA diagnostic
assistance from the arborivology laboratories at UNSW and
Prince Henry Hospital.
Merilyn Geary has been undertaking surveillance for the
introduced Asian pest and vector mosquito species Aedes
albopictus. Following the discovery of a larva in a load of
tyres received at Brisbane port from Japan in October,
shipments to Sydney have been examined and Merilyn has
also been ‘prowling’ through agent's tyre yards in Sydney.
To dale there have been no recoveries in Sydney but this
species has spread widely in the USA since its introduction
in tyres from Japan and it is of considerable public health
concern.
Margaret Debenham and Megan Hicks continue with the
preparation and publication of the ‘Monster Mossie
Monograph’, a.k.a. “The Culicidae of the Australasian
Region", confident of finishing before funds disappear in
early 1989. Volumes 5, 6, 9 and 10 were published in 1988
and will be available from Joan Bryan at the University of
Queensland,
DAN BICKEL AND
DINAH HALES
Regional Councillors
NSW COUNTRY NEWS
NSW Agriculture and Fisheries
Yanco Agricultural Institute
The MIA has succumbed once again to Queensland fruit
fly with an outbreak being declared 3 days before Christmas.
High humidity and rainfall have made living in the MIA in
recent weeks similar to living in coastal Queensland. Little
wonder then that Dacus tryoni appears to be outbreaking all
over the place. Appearances were even put in by that other
pestiferous Queensland tephritid, Dacus neohumeralis, at
Griffith and Hillston. Previously it was unheard of further
south than Coffs Harbour.
David James attended a citrus packers meeting in
Griffith in early December to present an update on the
situation regarding Fullers rose weevil and citrus exports to
Japan. Greg Buchanan of the Sunraysia Horticultural
Page 13
Centre at Irymple in Victoria also visited the institute at
Yanco to discuss citrus projects with David. Work is
continuing on the biology of spined citrus bug with an
extension of employment for Renay Rogers who Is up to her
ears in lemons, bugs and parasitoids.
Entomology section at Yanco is eagerly awaiting the
return of Richard Faukder who has spent some weeks in St.
Vincents Hospital, Sydney. It’s amazing how many spiders
have been sent in lor identification since Richard (a
recognised arachnophile) became hospitalised! Good job
he left his spider books.
Orange, Agricultural Research and Veterinary Centre
Entomological visitors to Orange in spring included Bill
Woods from the WA Department of Agriculture. Bill
discussed pome fruit pest problems in both states with Col
Bower and Graham Thwaite.
Col and Graham staged a highly successful
demonstration of their “mite counting service” at the
Australian National Field Days held at Orange in November.
The service is now being extensively used by New South
Wales pome fruit growers practising integrated mite control,
Graham is investigating resistance to mite ovicides in
European red mite with the help of a grant from two
agricultural chemical companies. Samples of mites for
testing have been sent to Orange from Tasmania and
Queensland and others are welcome.
Tamworth, Agriculture and Fisheries
Robyn Gunning and Marjorie Balfe visited Harley Rose
al the University of Sydney in December for discussions on
the biochemical toxicology of pyrethroids in Heliothis. A joint
project on this subject is planned which should improve
understanding of insecticide resistance in this species.
By the way, congratulations to Robyn Gunning who has
been awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study at the
Rothamstead Station, UK, from April to July this year. She
will undertake research on the biochemistry of insecticide
resislance.
lt has been a quiet early season for Heliothis and only
an expensive fight to save the life of the laboratory cat after
being bitten by asnake, disrupted the peace.
Gary Levot from BCRI Rydalmere visited Tamworth
early January to inspect poultry farms where mites on
chickens have been causing concern,
Page 14
Wollongbar, Agricultural Research Station
Two scientists from the Tongan/German plant protection
group visited in November to discuss pest control in
bananas with Neil Treverrow. Neil attended the 2nd
Australian workshop on Neem at the University of
Queensland in late January.
DAVID JAMES
Regional Councillor
QUEENSLAND
SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND
Lands Department, Alan Fletcher Research Station
The Department's project in Madagascar, to find
biological control agents for rubber vine, has now finished,
Jenny Marohasy (nee Turnour) is now working back at
Sherwood awaiting the go-ahead for her next assignment -
she will be going to Kenya for a three-year period to look for
insects to control prickly Acacia as soon as a visa is granted.
University of Queensland
Tim Heard has left the Department to join the DPI staff
where he is working with Neil Heather for 2 1/2 years to
study high temperature treatment of mangoes for
disinfestation of fruit fly before export. Tim plans to continue
his PhD studies on the role of Trigona bees in macadamia
and cashew pollination part time.
Hugh Paterson was invited to spend a month of
research al the South African Institute of Medical Research
during January-February. He planned to complete some of
his Musca spp, (Diptera) studios started sometime ago as
well as collect some insects for his medical and veterinary
entomology class at UQ and do some lecturing at the
University of Pretoria, Rhodes University and the Institute.
David Yeates from WA Dept. of Agriculture visited in
December, primarily to attend his PhD graduation ceremony
(congratulations Dave!) but he also found time to speak
about his quarantine work in WA at the Ent. Soc. Qid Notes
and Exhibits meeting.
Chris Burwell, who completed his Honours year in 1988,
will commence his PhD work on insect systematics in
February. This is despite Robert Raven's attempts, over the
Myrmecia
last two months, to lure Chris into spider systematics.
During the first three weeks of February, Gimme Walter
visited Rey Velasco of the University of the Philippines at
Los Banos to consult with Rey in the writeup of his PhD
thesis on Green Vegetable Bug ecology.
Myron Zalucki travelled to Narrabri in early February to
continue his inland Heliothis studies and to meet with Peter
Gregg, Gary Fitt and Peter Twine. Following this trip, Myron
will be going to Canberra to participate in a review of the
research work of the Australian Plague Locust Commission
Dave Hancock leaves in February for 12 months in
Paramaribo, Surinam (South America) on an FAO
consultancy to investigate an outbreak of Dacus dorsalis-
group fruitflies. The project will involve identification, survey
and detection, and control, as well as training of local staff.
Forestry Department
Michael Hockey has left the Department and moved to
Darwin where, although he will not be working in a bioloigcal
science field, it is hoped that he will be able to find some
time to pursue his interests in insects associated with timber
and to send some specimens to his friends in Brisbane.
Queensland Institute of Medical Research
The QIMR-UQ Tropical Health Program is flourishing in
Brisbane and the second batch of postgraduate students are
heavily involved in field projects in Thailand, Malaysia and
the Solomon Islands. The third course commencing on June
5 is well subscribed and it seems that there will be a full
complement of 25 participants. With promotional and project
initiation duties, entomologists Joan Bryan (UQ), Tom Burkot
and Brian Kay (QIMR) sometimes feel like travelling sales
(persons 7),
Brian Kay was elected Chairman of the WHO/FAO/
UNEP Panel of Experts on Environmental Management for
Vector Control in Nairobi and and the Australian represent-
ative on the executive of the International Federation for
Tropical Medicine in Amsterdam in September 1988. During
November, he visited Pondicherry and Madurai (India) as
PEEM Chairman, Western Samoa in December as part of
his expanding Mesocyclops biological control of Aedes
project and leaves for Brazil and Tahiti on February 17
(Mesocyclops again). During April, he visits USSR for
PEEM and in June, Vietnam as a WHO consultant. There is
no truth to the rumour that he has shares in Qantas!
February 1989
Queensland Museum
Wolfgang Dorow, of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe
University in Frankfurt, visits Rudi Kohout in mid-March to
discuss their common interest in the ant genus Polyrhachis.
Wolfgang will be in transit to join a joint West German-
Malaysia project on the ecology of dominating insects of the
SE Asian raintorest.
Frank Howarth, ol the Bishop Museum, visited for three
days in late January to sort the extensive collection of cave
insects made during summer field work in North
Queensland. Previous visits were in winter and he was able
lo report exciting new finds.
Gordon and Joy Burns called in and were pleased to be
able to get some unexpected data on Victorian jewel beetes
from the QM collection for their Entrecs mapping project in
Victoria.
The collections from the trapping programme arranged
by Geoff Monteith for the ANZSES expedition arrived in
several large crates at the end of January, Judy Cantrell,
employed on funds from the Qld National Parks and Wildlife
Service, has been kept busy sorting and pinning the material.
Among other finds on the expedition was a previously
undiscovered crashed DC3 military plane, complete with
human remains, which went missing with 19 personnel on a
flight from New Guinea to Cairns in 1944. Who said the
Daintree area wasn't a wilderness?
The Arachnology Section welcomed two temporary and
diligent workers from December through January. Peter
McLean, a first year university student, almost single-
handedly registered the entire mygalomorph holdings of the
museum (a mere 5,000-6,000 registrations), almost all are
on the computer database (Rbase-for-Dos). Now comes the
task of checking them all... Chris Burwell, a PhD student
(University of Queensland), has helped Robert Raven work-
ing on mygalomorphs and cladistics. Robert has developed
a key to |he mygalomorph genera of Queensland, next
Australia, then the world. This key should work with males
or females. Mr David Court from Port Moresby visited on his
way to New Zealand for Christmas.
Queensland Agricultural College
During College holidays many short courses took place.
The Entomology Section was involved in the Courses in
Plant Protection, teaching the delegates identification, life
cycles and various control measures. Delegates included
Page 15
people from the agro-chemical industry and private consult-
ancy, as well as government extension officers from all parts
of Australia.
A group of nine agricultural students from Polytechnical
Agricultural Colleges in Indonesia also underwent instruction
from the Entomology Section (Errol Hassan and his
assistant, Bill Gordon), Special emphasis was placed on
tropical cropping systems,
Errol gave advice to various commercial nurseries
regarding pest problems with orchids, indoor plants and
cypress pine seedlings
Richard Hicks and Sezai Duyul of the Bagasene
Company, Turkey, visited to discuss pests of cotton,
sorghum and maize in Turkey and Australia.
DPI Entomology Branch, Indooroopilly
During the second half of 1988 Elaine Brough joined the
Branch in the new position of Extension Entomologist and
since then has been as far afield as Emerald getting the feel
of agricultural entomology in the State.
Greg Daglish has also joined the Branch to work with
the ACIAR stored products team. Greg replaces Peter
Samson who has moved onto BSES at Bundaberg.
Marlene Elson-Harris spent four weeks collecting in
North Queensland rainforests during October-November.
Marlene's particular interest is rainforest fruit and the
associated larval fruit flies.
MARGARET SCHNEIDER
AND ERROL HASSAN
Regional Councillors
NORTH QUEENSLAND NEWS
Good and Bad News - DPI Emerald
Good rains were very welcome in the Emerald district
but Gordon Simpson reports that the increase in soil
moisture level has led to an increase in false wire worm and
black field earwig populations, which are able to operate
closer to the soil surface. The problem has been bad
enough to necessitate replanting of sorghum.
Page 16
Soil insect workshop
To be held at DPI Indooroopilly in April. Further details
can be obtained from Les Robertson, DP! Emerald.
Current Projects - James Cook University
Debbie Rae (mealybugs) and Con Lokkers (green ants -
Oecophyila) have completed their field work and are writing
up their theses.
Michael Braby is coming to the Zoology Dep. from
Victoria to work on tropical butterflies,
Rhondda Jones, Chris Hill and Carole Wallace are
extending current work on the impact and value of wet
refuges for insects in the seasonal tropics.
Richard Rowe succumbed to the temptations of a
salticid spider collecting tp in December, joining Robert
Jackson who was working around the Mossman area in
pursuit of Portia and other jumping spiders.
Cave Insect Expedition
North Queensland saw another concerted investigation
of its increasingly famous cave insects in December/
January. Activities started with the Tropecon speleology
conference at Tinaroo Dam where papers on cave insects
were given by Frank Howarth (Bishop Museum, Hawaii),
Fred Stone (University of Hawaii) and Hannelore Hoch and
Manfred Asche (Phillipps University, Germany). Then they
went bush for another season of subterranean slithering in
the limestone caves of Chillago and the basalt lava tunnels
of the Undara-Mt Surprise system further south.Certain “bad
air” (i.e. very high carbon dioxide) caverns at the latter area
have yielded diverse and highly adapted species even
though their geologic age is measured in only thousands of
years.
Visitors to the Far North
Geoff Monteith and Geoff Thompson from the Queens-
land Museum spent 3 weeks in December collecting on
various mountain tops on the Atherton Tableland and assist-
ing with the organization of an ANZSES expedition in the MI
Lewis-Mossman area. Evan Schmidt from Latrobe Univer-
sity led the expedition’s Entomology study group.
Henry and Anne Howden from Ottawa, Canada spent
two months, mostly in the Mareeba area, collecting weevils
and geotrupines. It is Henry's tenth visit to Australia and he
still can't speak strine proper like.
Myrmecia
Ernie Adams made another one of his collecting trips to
Paluma in January. Ernie first chased beetles there in 1939 -
SO a fiftyyear anniversay visit! Also there this year was Ross
Storey (Mareeba), the Howdens, Joy and Gordon Burns
(Melbourne) and Ernie’s son Eddie (to reach the tallest
trees), Collecting was the best in several years, but this did
not stop Ernie from abandoning his light sheet one wet night
to sit in his car to listen to the cricket (Australia won).
Alan Sundholm had a buprestid collecting trip to north
Queensland interrupted by car trouble in Maryborough.
They did eventually make it though and hoped to catch up
the Roger de Keyser of Sydney who dropped off in Cairns
while returning from PNG, to pursue cerambycids in the
tableland rainforests.
Alan Walford-Huggins has moved, along with his beetle
collection and Kambio business, from Julatten to Yeppoon in
central Queensland. We all hope the move is successful
and that collecting is as good there as it has been over the
years lor Alan in the north.
Ken Walker and Tim New travelled up Cape York
Peninsula through to Bamaga. Bee collecting was fairly
good, but conditions were a bit too dry for other groups,
Barry Moore stopped in briefly to the DPI to talk beetles.
He was accompanied by Alan Wheeler, a butterfly enthus-
iast from the UK. Another European visitor was Vladimir
Sekaly from Switzerland, whose interest was beetles,
MIKE DOWNES
Regional Councillor
(with a little help from Ross Storey)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Waite Institute- Department of Entomology
The last few months have seen the arrival of several
new visitors to the department. David Woodward arrived
from the US to work on the lucerne/eatcutter bee project
with Derek Maelzer, Virgilio Caleca arrived from Italy to
study the scelionid genera Mirotelonomus and
Hadronotoides under a C&R fellowship from the Italian govt
and Diane Tyson and Mark Newton have joined the insect
pathology group.
Roger Laughlin's group has begun monitoring for the
Australian
Entomological Society
Membership List
January 1989
* Foundation Members
# Honorary Members
February 1989
‘white shnozz-mozz' (Aedes albopictus) in and around tyre
depots.
South Australian Museum
Bob Domrow spent two weeks in October working on
sarcoptiform mites parasitic on Australian vertebrates. This
must be the last part of his parasitic mite checklist, so
unfortunately we may not have any more visits by him.
David McAlpine and Barry Day, from the Australian
Museum, worked with the fly collection for a few days in
November.
SA Agriculture Department
Paul Madge is still seen around the Entomology Unit
active with contract research on the control of mites in
almond orchards, Gabriella Caon commenced twelve
months’ maternity leave in January.
Margaret Evans (? the only entomologist between
Adelaide and Esperance) is working at Minnipa on an
outbreak of the native weevil Polyphrades /aetus in cereals,
together with Dennis Hopkins from Adelaide. Dennis
recently attended the Russian wheal aphid workshop and
the Salvation Jane (= Paterson's curse) workshop, both at
Canberra. Peter James participated in the Australian Wool
Corporation workshop on sheep lice, held at Melbourne.
Faerlie Bartholomaeus of the Animal and Plant Control
Commission recently returned from collecting fleas from
native mammals in the Cooper's Creek - Birdsville areas.
ALICE WELLS AND
DUNCAN MACKAY
Regional Councillor
TASMANIA
Agriculture Department
Margaret Williams is employing Clodagh Jones for
several months to assist with the Integrated Mite Control
program. Sandra Leighton has resigned as Entomologist at
Launceston.
APPM Forest Products
David de Little is conducting feeding trials of paropsine
leaf beetles on hybrids of Eucalyptus globulus and E. nitens
Page 17
and having the leaf chemistry of the hybrids examined by
Haifeng Li, a MAgrSc student under John Madden. The
hybrids seem to be intermediate to the two species in
susceptibility to leaf beetle attack. Chrysophtharta
bimaculata leaf beetles recently caused significant damage
to plantation E. nitens in northern Tasmania.
Museums
Besides numerous enquiries about cicadas Bob Green
received a visit from Ken Key who drew on the Queen
Victorian Museum collection of Orthoptera. Alison Green at
Tasmanian Museum also had her share of cicada enquiries.
Alison attended the International Union of Biological Scien-
tists conference ("Who's name - what specimen’) in
Canberra, Glen Hunt studied the Opiliones collection at
Tasmanian Museum and Dr P.T. Lehtinen, an ICZN com-
missioner, from the Finnish University of Turku borrowed
mites from a ABRS collection. Bob Mesibov visited Alison
with live specimens of 4 Tasmanian onycophoran species
and reported completion of his study “Tasmanian
Onycophora” for the Lands, Parks and Wildliie Department.
World Heritage Area
Steven Smith of Lands, Parks and Wildlife Department
continues to coordinate surveys of invertebrates in the
Tasmanian World Heritage Area. Peter McQuillan joined
Ebbe Nielsen for a brief survey in the Mt. Ossa area. Dan
Bickel from Australian Museum will survey forest diptera in
January.
LIONEL HILL
Regional Councillor
NORTHERN TERRITORY
The usual Top End Wet season “build-up” from late
September to December and known as the suicide season
for obvious reasons, was almost benign this year and
generally quite bearable for residents who did not take the
opportunity for annual leave to more temperate climes. In
fact, the Met. Bureau officially declared the “Wet” to have
arrived (the presence of the annual monsoonal trough over
the Northern Coastline) by mid-December, the earliest for
many years.
Page 18
Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries (DPIF)
DPIF, Weeds Section
The Section has two major field projects over the Wet
season - documenting the impact of released biocontrol
agents (a gall moth and a rust fungus) on Noogoora Burr and
examining the effect of native insects on the biomass and
seed production of Cassia obtusifolia. On one of these sur-
veys to the Daly River area, Colin Wilson and Mark Lons-
dale managed to get themselves bogged for two full days.
In November, some time was spent filming the wetlands
with a crew from Channel 10 in Sydney who were doing a
special on Mimosa.
DPIF, Agricultural Quarantine Section
The flurry of activity connected with new quarantine
initiatives in Northern Australia continued. Ted Fenner
attended a meeting in Canberra of the Plant Diseases, Pests
and Weeds Scientific Working Party under NAQS. In late
November David Yeates, Plant Quarantine entomologist in
WA, spent a few days in the Darwin area as part of a visit to
familiarise himself with northern quarantine operations.
In early December a fact-finding team comprising Drs
Roger Hall, (Bureau of Rural Resources), Gordon Hooper
(Plague Locust Commission), Lindsay Barton-Browne
(formerly CSIRO) and James Novy (USDA/Mexican Screw-
worm Commission) visited the Top End looking at screw-
worm surveillence and prospects for eradication in the event
of an incursion.
In his spare time Ted, along with Steve Collins, is
researching the life history of Protographium leosthenes
geimbia in Kakadu National Park under a permit from
ANPWS. This butterfly and its larval food plant are appar-
ently confined to the escarpment area of Arnhem Land.
DPIF, Entomology Section
The screw-worm review committee (mentioned above)
also visited this Section to inspect the monitoring program-
me and discuss problems associated with the project. Mr
Lac Quan Tien has been appointed as a Technical Assistant
to the project which will run until June 1989. Trapping catch-
es from the 15 sites in the Top End averaged over 13,000
calliphorids per month between June and December 1988.
Stuart Smith and Deanna Chin spent several days in
Kakadu National Park in October collecting possible native
hosts of NT fruit flies and enjoying a welcome break from
on-going disinfestation studies of export fruits.
NT Health - Medical Entomology Branch
Due to the unavailability of helicopters at critical times to
spray breeding areas of the salt marsh mosquito, Darwin
residents were on the defensive during the early Wet season
with mossie numbers at their highest for several years.
Graeme Dobson was kept occupied firstly with the mosquito
plagues and more recently in attempting to allay fears of a
malaria epidemic after media coverage of several cases
contracted in overseas malarial areas.
David Booth resigned from the Branch in December for
PhD studies at London University and Paul Barker-Hudson
will take up duties in mid-January. Paul has spent 20 years
working on public health mosquito problems the past 6 years
of which were in Townsville,
Peter Whelan has timed his holidays well to escape the
publicity of salt water mosquito plaques, encephalitis and
malaria scares and has taken a well-earned break in
Southern States,
Museum of the Northern Territory
Mali Malipatil has recently been awarded a Fullbright
Senior Scholarship to visit the US. He intends to spend 3
months, beginning mid-April 1989 studying aspects of the
Cladistics of Reduviidae with Drs R.T. Schuh and N. Platnick
at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Whilst in the US, Mali will visit other entomological centres
including the Smithsonian in Washington, the University of
Connecticut and the Bishop Museum in Hawaii,
During his holidays in December, Terry Houston of the
WA Museum visited Darwin and spent some time examining
the bee collection at the Museum.
CSIRO - Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre
Alan Anderson will have a spate of visitors during the
early part of 1989. Firstly, Deb Hlavaty, a PhD student in
ant ecology from University of California at Davis will spend
two weeks in the NT and during February, Sydney University
Science students Melissa Fitzgerald and Joanne O'Sullivan
will examine aspects of fire treatment on the insect fauna in
the eucalypt savannah.
STUART SMITH
Regional Councillor
February 1989
News from affiliated
Societies
Entomological Society of Queensland
The December Notes and Exhibits meeting which was
preceded by a barbeque, proved to be a most enjoyable and
successful evening. Henry and Anne Howden from Ottawa,
Canada were unexpected visitors who happened to be in
Brisbane just al the right time. They are currently in
Australia to continue studies and collection of scarab
beetles, particularly geotrupines, and weevils. The main
notes of the night were ‘The rubber vine hawk moth’ (R.
McFadyen), “Insects from Australia to control Hydrilla and
Melaleuca in United States of America” (M. Purcell) and
‘Changes to quarantine surveillance of northern Western
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Members enjoy collecting in the creek (lop) and in the rainforest (Bottom) on
the ESO excursion to Booloumba Creek in October
Page 19
Australia” (D. Yeates), Neil Gough reported on the Society's
weekend camp held at Booloumba Creek in October (see
photos).
The Society's activities for 1989 commence on Monday
13th March with the Annual General Meeting. Election of
office bearers will be held at the meeting and the address
given by the retiring President, Hugh Paterson. Members
are reminded that to take advantage of the discount rate,
annual subscription must be paid by the time of the AGM
and that only financial members are entitled to vote.
Another excursion is planned for the weekend of March
11 and 12 at Doug Cook's property in the Gold Coast
hinterland. Full details are to appear in the Society's News
Bulletin or contact Neil Gough (377 9362) or Geoff Monteith
(840 7699),
Visitors are always most welcome at the Society
meetings which are usually held at the University of
Queensland on the second Monday of each month except
January, February and July.
GREG DANIELS
Representative Councillor
The Entomological Society of New South Wales
The Society became officially incorporated on the 21
November 1988. Apart from the addition of “Inc.” to our
name there should be few changes and the Society should
continue to function as it has in the past.
The Society Christmas function took the form of a
weekend at Cromelin Field Station at Pearl Beach in early
December. The weather was not the best, however, 17
people attended the weekend and managed to get in some
collecting as well as a trip or two to the beach. Rain on the
Saturday night made running the light trap difficult but
members managed to get insects of interest in between the
showers of rain. | think all who attended had a relaxing and
enjoyable lime.
Prof. Andrew Beattie (School of Biological Sciences,
Macquarie University) will be speaking at the forthcoming
meeting of the Society in February. Andrew will be talking
on Ant-Plant Interactions, an area in which he has had vast
experience; the talk will certainly be of interest to Society
membership.
JOHN MACDONALD
Representative Councillor
Page 20
Entomological Society of Victoria
The summer months in Melbourne tend to mean quiet
times in the Victorian Society as many members are out
swinging a net on collecting trips. Gordon and Joy Burns
and Peter Kelly are but a few members who have headed
oul for several months field work both in Victoria and
interstate.
The Society has great pleasure in announcing that this
year's recipient of the “Zoo” Le Souef Memorial Award is Mr
Robert Fisher from South Australia. Many readers would
know Bob's work through his books on insects especially
“Butterflies of South Australia”. Bob is currently working on
a project to compile a “library” of colour transparencies of
the life history and biology of Australian butterflies. The
Society congratulates Bob on his work and on receiving this
award.
KEN WALKER
Representative Councillor
Overseas News
NEW ZEALAND
| reported last year that the Australian Sheep blowfly,
Lucilla cuprina, was suspected of being established in
Northland. We can now confirm that this unwanted Austra-
lian is very much in evidence and has probably spread over
much of the North Island. A number of confirmed reports
have been received over the summer months and it is
definitely recorded as far south as Wairoa on the east coast.
Flystrike is becoming a major threat to the sheep industry in
New Zealand and the confirmation of L. cuprina is another
problem for the already beleaguered farmer. Another
Australian, the redback spider, is also well established in
New Zealand - what are you guys trying to do to us?
JOHN TENQUIST
New Zealand Correspondent
Contributed items
INSECT CONSERVATION -
THINGS WE CAN DO
The comments by Penny Greenslade and Mike Downes
in the last AES News Bulletin echoed the current state of
invertebrate conservation - a poor awareness in the public
arena of the role invertebrates play in healthy ecosystems,
specific problems involved in confronting the conservation of
species and their habitats, and the considerable obstacle of
placing invertebrate conservation issues on the agenda of
environment groups already burdened with their own
conservation priorities.
Entomologists, possibly more than most, are at the
heart-throb of terrestrial ecosystems. When a woodland or
forest disappears we not only mourn the loss of the plant
community and the relative handful of vertebrates but we are
acutely aware of the loss of that great myriad and mass of
insects that gave the community its tremendous inter-related
complexity and vibrancy - and our reason for being.
In this we are in a unique position to contribute to habi-
lal, species and community retention and to a more widely
considered habitat management. For at present land usage,
planning and nature conservation policies are heavily weigh-
ted towards consideration of vegetation and vertebrates with
at best (with some exceptions) only incidental inclusion of
invertebrate values and requirements.
| add nothing new or original to the discussion by stating
that there is an obvious and pressing need for education on
the part invertebrates play in our environment and the prob-
lems species and whole groups can face when even subtle
land-use and ecosystem modifications take place. But there
are the major problems of time, energy, organisation,
infrastructure and funding that some education activities
entail — although offering boundless extra employment areas
for entomologists and no lima of sales openings for the AES
MARKETING DIVISION. Just contemplate the great range
of philosophically appropriate posters, T-shirts, calenders
and “soft toys” we could come up with!
There ts also a need to modify perceptions of habitat
values encumbered with notions of “pristine” (eg. logged vs
unlogged) qualities and extent (eg. a big habitat area is
better than a small habitat area). Intrinsic biological values
of sites, weighted with regard to invertebrates, oflen have
February 1989
scant regard for what are really human perceptions. If you
have a relatively degraded piece of vegetation that still
maintains an insect population of scientific interest or that
represents the type locality of your newest bug then
biological conservation priorities based on the historical
tramplings of D9 bulldozers are no longer really valid,
At present there appears to be an inadequate voice
from the scientific lobby in the initial stages of nature
conservation issues and decision making (again the
establishment of priorities) and there are inherent dangers
for biologically based policies and reservation strategies
when some issues are increasingly dictated in the public
arena. Alex Floyd (NSW NPWS), writing on the status and
eventual reservation of north coast rainforests of New South
Wales, stated “the effect of a 175 per cent increase in the
rainforest area within the national parks system in nothem
New South Wales has only been to reduce the number of
inadequately conserved suballiances from twenty-two to
nineteeen. This disappointing result probably accurately
reflects the main thrust of the conservation campaign in the
area, which was for larger areas of rainforest to be pre-
served for their aesthetic and recreational qualities. The
scientific argument was put less vociferously by the National
Page 21
Parks and Wildlife Service and other biologically oriented
bodies, and would not evoke the same emolive response
from the general public, Hence, the magnificent towering
igs, yellow carabeens and booyongs in the subtropical
raintorest and the ageless antarctic beeches of the cool
temperate rainforest are now well conserved, but the less
appealing suballiances of the dry and littoral rainforests are
still 67 per cent and 100 per cent inadequately conserved”.
Whilst this situation did improve for littoral rainforests,
biologically important relict tracts, logged rainforests and
rainforests distant from the centres of population lost out.
There is a parallel lesson here for us because invertebrates
seem destined by their inescapable size and nature (they
generally suffer from “bad press”) to run a poor second to
vertebrate concerns unless their profile can be lifted.
Education is a long-term undertaking but in the immed-
iate term considerable and significant input could be
achieved by commenting on regional and local environment
Littoral rainforest remnant on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. The
remaining littoral rainforests are beset by major management problems and
have been reduced by agriculture, mining and residential development. They
represent a whole vegetation community al risk throughout its NSW range
and contain many insects new to science or of considerable interest
Page 22
plans where these impact on invertebrates and their
habitats, by influencing government/departmental policies
and by proposing reserves (or additions to existing reserves)
based on invertebrate values. The latter allows you to avoid
knee-jerk reactions to someone else's development
initiatives on your favourite bit of bush.
But who is going to care about my new tipulid locality or
my odd-ball southern record of an otherwise more northerly
lycaenid population? Possibly few (although I'm being
increasingly surprised to the contrary) but when you start
adding an unusual or critical record here with another one
there and then start lumping in known vertebrate records
and plant community dala and consider such things as
corridor and refugia roles, general biologic and geologic
diversity and aesthetic impacts and emphasize the scientific
and educational importance you just might be surprised at
what a chunky report or submission can be arrived at. Even
if you can do little more than provide a basic species list with
the interesting records highlighted then that, at its least, will
be supportive to submissions from other groups and individ-
Uals and will establish some consideration of invertebrates.
Every bit helps,
Local council planning departments may be more
sympathetic to submissions based on invertebrate values
than you may realize. As examples, in local environment
plans undertaken by Greater Taree City Council conser-
vation zonings were readily applied to privately owned
fainforest gullies containing scarab populations of unexpect-
ed diversity whilst conservation zones at Harrington were
up-graded from “coastal protection” (which essentially still
allowed you to clear a lot of vegetation) to “scientific” (which
essentially meant you could do a lot less damage) largely on
the basis of intrinsic insect interest. These are not isolated
cases and at least two nature reserves in New South Wales,
near Ballina and the Illawarra region, owe much of the
reason for their establishment to insects in them whilst one
NSW State Environmental Planning Policy (littoral
rainforests) had a consideration of insects in its genesis.
In addition, when submissions and reports are under-
taken there is a spin-off benefit gained because the inform-
ation included, often otherwise the preserve of specialists
becomes more generally accessible and apart from the fu-
lure conservation use to which the information can be put it
also contributes in an accumulative way to education on the
role and importance of insects and lifts their profile in future
r
planning procedures; a not unreasonable expectation if we
are to address the retention of national genetic resources.
GEOFF WILLIAMS
Research Associate
Australian Museum
REPORT OF THE CONSERVATION
COMMITTEE
During the last three months we have prepared
submissions to various bodies concerned with land use and
management. These submissions have all been in
response to advertised calls for public comment. It has
been suggested that this is the most productive way in which
the committee can raise awareness of insect conservation in
general. One of these submissions was directed to the
Tasmanian Forestry Commission and dealt with
amendments to the Forestry Practices Code. It was
prepared by Lionel Hill and he found that there was much
room for improvement in the code as regards conservation
measures which could be taken. Another was by Alan
Andersen and dealt with the proposed Jabiru pipe line in the
Northern Territory and is given below. If any members of
the society are aware of or become aware of conservation
issues on which we should comment could they please write
to me or to the executive and let us know of them?
PENELOPE GREENSLADE
Convener,
Conservation Committee
c/- CSIRO Entomology
GPO Box 1700
Canberra ACT 2601
KAKADU POWER LINE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
REVIEW
Background
The power demands of the Kakadu region are currently
met by independent generators operating on diesel fuel (e.9.
February 1989
al Ranger Uranium mine, Jabiru township, ANPWS
headquarters, CSIRO Kapalga Research Station). The NT
Power and Water Authority (PAWA) proposes that the best
option for meeting future power needs in the region is to
construct a 132kV transmission line linking Jabiru with
Darwin's Channel Island power station.
PAWA gives two reasons for its proposal. The first is to
provide ‘the most economic and reliable electricity supply to
the Alligator River region’. However the problem with this
justification is that current power demand in the region does
not justify the transmission line - PAWA admits that it is
relying on potential increases in demand following future
tourist and mining development. The EIS assumes a greatly
increased future demand when really this is impossible to
predict with any certainty as, for example, the whole
question of mining in the region remains unresolved. The
second reason provided by PAWA for its proposal is to
“improve the viability of the Channel Island power station ...
by increased sales of energy’. It therefore seems that the
prime motivation behind the proposed transmission line is to
sell PAWA’s excess energy, rather than to meet any real
power demand.
Environmental Impact
The proposed route of the transmission line traverses
savanna woodland and open forest dominated by
Eucalyptus, vegetation formations that occur extensively
throughout northern Australia. The principal environmental
safeguard proposed by PAWA is to route the line to
minimize visual impact and to avoid environmentally
sensitive habitats (eq. wetlands, billabongs, mangroves,
monsoon forests). PAWA propose to engage a full-lime
officer during the line's construction, who will liaise with the
Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the NT
Conservation Commission. The ElS considers, in my view
correctly, that the main adverse impact of the line would be
visual and psychological, rather than ecological.
Treatment of Invertebrates
The invertebrates of the region are extremely poorly
known, So it would be unrealistic to expect the EIS to treat
them in anything other than a general way. It is pleasing to
note that the EIS recognises the ecological importance of
invertebrates and the need for their conservation.
Unfortunately, however, the only invertebrates mentioned
Page 29
are termites (which are discussed at some length), which
gives the misleading impression that these are the only
invertebrates worth considering. The EIS should have
highlighted the fact that the region harbors an extraordinarily
rich invertebrate fauna, with termites being just one of many
extremely important groups, and thal the invertebrates
themselves are one of the special features of Kakadu.
In the absence ol specific information on invertebrates,
the best way of protecting their interests is to protect their
habitat. The EIS appears to have achieved this by routing
the line away from sensitive habitats, as outlined above.
Conclusions
The proposed transmission line would appear to have a
negligible impact on the invertebrate fauna of the Kakadu
region. However the need for the line is highly questionable,
especially given its intrusion into the wilderness experience
of Australia’s foremost national park.
ALAN ANDERSEN
AES Conservation Committee
COMING EVENTS
20th AGM of Australian Entomological Society
Our annual Conference will be held this year at
Macquarie University in Sydney over the period May 3-6.
The Conference theme is “Insects '89: Prospects and
Problems” and a wide-ranging programme will be offered.
An enrolment brochure is available from John Macdonald,
BCRI, PMB No, 10, Rydalmere, NSW 2116, A lale fee
applies to enrolments received after February 28.
Future of Butterflies in Europe:
Strategies for Survival
This is the title of an international congress to be held in
Wageningen, The Netherlands, from 12-15 April, 1989. The
meeting will review the current knowledge on butterflies in
order to set up a working programme: for their conservation
in Europe. The meeting is being jointly organized by the
Wageningen Agricultural University, the Dutch Butterfly
Foundation and the Netherlands Entomological Society.
Page 24
Details available from: Congress Building, International
Agricultural Centre, PO Box 88, 6700 AB Wageningen, The
Netherlands.
National Mallee Conference
This conference will be held in Adelaide over the period
April 18-21, 1989, and has the theme “The Future of Mallee
Lands: The Conservation Perspective”. Details are available
from: Conlerence Manager, National Mallee Conference,
CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology, Private Mail Bag, Deniliquin,
NSW 2710.
The Conservation of Insects and their Habitats
This is the 15th Symposium of the Royal Entomological
Society of London and will be held at Imperial College,
London, on 14-15 September, 1989. The meeting will take a
global view of the problem and contributors will include Tim
New and Penelope Greenslade from Australia. Details are
available from: The Registrar, Royal Entomological Society
of London, 41 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 SHU.
Australian Wool Corporation Conference
The Australian Wool Corporation periodically reviews
major subject areas to identify priorities for future research.
In May, the Corporation is holding a Conference on “Weed,
Invertebrate and Disease Pests of Australian Sheep
Pastures”.
The Conference will be held from the 28th May until 1st
June at the Old Ballarat Village, Ballarat, Victoria. It is the
intention of the organising committee to achieve a broad mix
of participants including researchers, extension officers,
industry representatives, consultants, and importantly,
woolgrowers from the high rainfall, sheep-wheat and
pastoral zones of Australia.
Abstracts of possible submissions are currently being
sought. Researchers are expected to submit a paper or
poster. It is preferred, but not essential, for extension
officers, industry representatives and consultants to submit a
contribution. Contributions are due by February ist, 1989.
Farmer participants will be invited.
Futher details including copies of the Conference
brochure are available from the convenor, Dr Ernest
Dellosse, CSIRO Canberra (062-465 834) or Mr David
Conley, Australian Wool Comoration, Melbourne (03-341
9182).
HYMENOPTERISTS’ CORNER
New Books
Boucek, Z. 1988. The Australian Chalcidoidea. A
biosystematic Revision of Genera of 14 Families with a
Reclassification of Species. CAB International. 832 pp.
lan Galloway is currently reading this book and a review
will be given in a future issue of “Myrmecia’.
1988. Encyrtidae of New Zealand. Fauna of New
Zealand. (No further details available).
Ted Dahms will present a review of this monograph in a
future issue.
Field Work
Ted Dahms will be in the field in Southeast Queensland
this summer, collecting Encyrlidae from arid areas. Search
through your collections and bury him in study material.
Woody Homing collected wasps around Wombat, New
South Wales, in early November. Just as he was reaching
for a small green chrysidid on a tree, he felt something soft
and round underloot. Oh no, he thought, but oh yes, he was
Standing on a nearly two metre long Brown Snake,
fortunately only centimetres from its head - the chrysidid
Visitors
Dr Gerhardt Prinsloo, Plant Protection Research
Institute, Pretoria, South Africa, worked with Ted Dahms on
Encyrtidae at the Queensland Museum in mid-October.
Dr Donald Quicke, University of Sheffield, worked at the
Australian Museum as a Research Fellow in October. He
and Geoff Holloway have submitted several manuscripts
on Australian Braconinae to the Australian Museum
Records.
Contributions
Hymenopterists - this is your venue for informing fellow
colleagues about what is happening in your field. Contri-
butions are needed and please send them to Dr Woody
Horning, Macleay Museum, University of Sydney, NSW
2006. Woody does not want to continue enduring
hazardous collecting just to make this column interesting,
February 1989 Page 25
OBITUARY He applied for, and was appointed to, a position of
Entomological Assistant in the newly formed Division of
Economic Entomology of CSIR in Canberra at the same
time as G.A. Currie, A.L. Tonnior and M.E. Fuller. He
commenced duty in Sydney on 3 January 1929 * but moved
to Canberra to take up residence in the Bachelors’ Quarters,
Acton, a few days later.
Although attached to the Museum section in Canberra
he was very soon (at the end of February) whisked off in the
SS ‘Malabar’ to Darwin to investigate the life history and
spread of the buffalo fly. This had recently come in from
Indonesia and was rapidly extending its range in northern
Australia, He created such a good impression in the minds
of R.J. Tillyard and |.M. Mackerras that he was reclassified
as Junior Entomologist in December of that year, 1929. He
spent time in Wyndham and elsewhere in the ‘Top End’ until
December 1930 when he returned to Canberra, However,
he was back in Cloncurry with |.M. Mackerras by May 1931
and in November of that year he was back in Darwin.
After this substantial period in the north Tom was based
in Canberra except for shorter periods in the field. He was
mainly concerned under A.L. Tonnoir with building up and
maintaining the insect collections, in carrying out the
biological observations on various pests and in assisting in a
wide range of biological control activities. He’'was
reciassilied as Research Officer in June 1943.
= ~~ " ~___ |t would take a considerable time to outline all of Tom's
Thomas Graham Campbell many and varied activities over his last thirty years with the
(21 Nov 1904 - 29 Sept 1988) Division. He travelled widely, collecting insects in many
areas of Australia and was involved in several overseas
Thomas Graham Campbell was born on 21 November activities. For example, he acted as Senior Entomologist in
1904 at Yarragal near Wellington, NSW. After secondary Suva for six months in 1954/55. He carried out insect
schooling at Sydney High he joined the Australian Museum surveys of Cocos (Keeling) Islands in 1952 and 1964 for the
in Sydney as a cadet in 1920, rising to the position of Quarantine Authorities who were planning to establish a
Assistant Entomologist after attending a course in Zoology Quarantine Station there. In this activity he also visited
and Entomology at Sydney University. He did particularly Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. He also carried out an insect
well in entomology courses. His first papers (four of them, survey of the Monte Bello Islands before the first nuclear
all popular, appeared in 1926 - dealing with the emperor explosion on Australian Territory - a lop secret mission al
gum moth, the common paper nest wasp, common Sydney thal time. In his final years at CSIRO he had charge of the
butterflies and insects as human food). During his period at + Hemiptera Collection in the ANIC.
F
|
(he Museum (1920 to 1928) he got to know a number of | first met Tom a little more than fifty years ago al the
entomologists who were to be important in his later career. very beginning of January 1938 when | was employed in a
A.J. Tillyard, A.J. Nicholson (Senior Lecturer in short temporary job al the Division of Economic Entomology.
Entomology), |.M. Mackerras (Linnaean Macleay Fellow) This was at Manner’s boarding house near Corroboree Park,
and G.A. Waterhouse Ainslie. Tom was the star boarder ol the twelve or so
Page 26
bachelors - the longest standing and with the luxury of the
only single room whereas the rest of us were in two's,
three's or four's. He was the proud owner of a gleaming
1936 Oldsmobile coupe securely housed in the only garage
- and he would carefully warm this up for five minutes or so,
particularly in cold weather before starting off for work in the
morning.
Tom's talents lay more in field than in laboratory
activities (compatible with his love of outdoors), he was a
keen cross-country skier and a foundation member of the
Canberra Alpine Club. | recall that he hired a huge, high-
Standing early '20s Buick, complete with dickey seats, to
take a number of colleaques, myself included, to the
opening of the Mt Franklin chalet in 1938,
He was a foundation member of the Canberra Aero
Club, not only learning to fly and navigate their Piper Cub -
but later owning a light ‘plane of his own which he had to fly
to Sydney at intervals for airworthieness checks. On one
occasion during the War he was involved in an air raid
precaution mock exercise and dropped a few brown paper
bags of flour near the Black Mountain laboratories to
simulate a bomb attack.
Tom was a loyal and dependable member of the
Division and a good person in the best sense of the word.
He was ever willing to lend a hand when some crisis
occurred in the field. Quite a number of us were helped in
the early days when a car broke down - and long before
NRMA was available to come to the rescue at short notice.
Tom was always on for a good yarn - preferably one
that could be allowed to take its time to develop and mature
- and sometimes he was loathe to release his listeners
readily to their other current activities,
Although steadily failing in vigour | believe that, as
recently as August, Tom visited Expo and that his final
decline was a rapid one.
We salute his memory and mourn his passing as one of
the earlier survirors of the pre-1930 days of CSIR in
Canberra.
DOUG WATERHOUSE
Canberra
r )
REQUEST
Dr Harry Brailovsky (Departmento De Zoologia, Instituto
de Biologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma De Mexico,
Apartado Postal No. 70-153, Mexico 20, D.F. 04510
MEXICO) needs Australian Coreidae (Heteroptera) for his
research studies, and would be keen to hear from people
interested in exchanging material with him.
SKIPPER BUTTERFLIES OF THE WORLD
Prominent British entomological book publishers, E.W.
Classey Ltd, have announced that they are once again
considering going ahead with the publication of this
comprehensive, 3-volume work which will be authored by
Australian skipper authority and artist par excellence,
Andrew Atkins. The intention is for the volumes to be
divided into three faunal regions with every species
illustrated in colour and accompanied by explanatory text.
Currently there is a desperate need for a global treatment of
this difficult family of butterflies which have not been
considered on a broad scale since the monographs of
Brigadier W.H. Evans in the 1940s. The skippers are, of
course, conspicuously absent from Bernard D'Abrera's
progressive series of Volumes, “Butterflies of the World”.
Classey’s have called for expressions of interest by possible
purchasers of the skipper series. There will be no obligation
to buy but, if you do not express your interest in the project,
this important publication may never see the light of day,
Write today to:
E.W. CLASSEY LTD
PO Box 93
Faringdon, Oxon
SN7 7DR ENGLAND
February 1989
20TH AGM AND SCIENTIFIC
CONFERENCE
sydney, 3-6 May 1989
Plans for this year’s meeting are proceeding well and
we Can now provide a program for the major symposium to
be held on the afternoon of 3 May. It is divided into two
sections, with speakers as follows:
CHEMICAL CONTROL OF INSECTS AND MITES:
PROSPECTS AND PROBLEMS
Urban Entomology Section (Termite Control)
1. Mr R. Eldridge (Forestry Commission of NSW)
“Termites: Taxonomy, Biology and Economic Impact”.
2. Tobe announded. (Australian Consumers
Association). “Termite Control: Consumer Problems
and Attitudes”.
3. Mr P. Lamond (W.A. Flick and Co Pty Ltd). “Termite
Conrol; The Australian Standards and Pest Control
Policy’.
Agricultural Entomology Section (Mite Control)
1, (Grower, to be announced). “Mite Control: Problems
Facing a Producer’.
2. Mr R. Mayr (Shell Chemicals Australia Pty Lid).
‘Chemical Control of Mites”.
3. Dr V. Edge (NSW Agriculture and Fisheries).
“Insecticide Resistance Management in Mite Control”,
Our “mini-symposia” are also coming together, with
some familiar names as definite or probable lead speakers:
Advances in Systematics: Dr D.H. Colless
Biological and Integrated Control: Dr R.A, Bedding
Current Investigations in Ant Biology; Dr R.W. Taylor
What we need now are registration lorms, abstracts and
cheques; please help your committee by registering and
providing abstracts early. We have some unexpected log:
istical problems with the temporary and scattered relocation
ol many Rydalmere staff (including important members ol
the Organising Committee), so your co-operation would be
particularly appreciated. Please also draw the meeting to
the attention of other members and/or students at your
institution, We look forward to seeing you all in May.
Page 27
ADVICE FOR POSTER PRESENTATION
The Organisers wish to encourage participants to
consider presenting material in the form of posters. It is
intended to display posters throughout the meeting and to
have a special “poster session” on the afternoon of 5 May.
The following advice has been slightly modified from
instructions given out at various other scientific meetings as
a guide to effective poster design and presentation.
Poster boards are approximately 1.7 m wide by 1.1 m
high. A poster exceeding these dimensions cannot be
accommodated. Materials for mounting light card will be
provided,
Each poster should have a heading strip approximately
150 mm high which runs the full width of the poster. The
title (which must be the same as in the Abstracts) should be
printed in block capitals about 50 mm high. Under the title
print in smaller letters, the name of the authors, institution,
city and state. It is desirable to include a postcard sized
photograph of the author(s) at the right-hand end of the title
board. All information in the posters should be readable by
viewers 2 metres distant. The message should be clearly
understandable without need for further oral explanation.
Accordingly authors should remember to:
* ensure that the sequence of text and graphics is
Clearly indicated (use of numbers or arrows)
* lettering: text should be at least 10 mm high.
* typeface: should be simple sans serif or gothic.
* graphics: keep as simple as possible, use black ink,
lines should be 2 mm thick, should have good contrast
and sharp focus, should give indication of scale (if
relevant), must have caption and legends (if needed).
* ensure balance between text and graphics, make sure
sheets/ilems are labelled on the back so that you
know where they go.
Time will be available for authors to stand by their
presentations to answer questions.
The Abstract should be sent to the Conference
Secretary as lor a “Paper Presentation” for inclusion in the
Abstracts,
DINAH HALES (Convenor)
JOHN MACDONALD (Secretary)
Page 28
AGENDA OF THE 20TH ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETING
As announced in the November News Bulletin (24(4)
1988) the Society's 20th Annual General Meeting will be
held at Macquarie University at 8.00 pm on Thursday 4th
May, 1989,
Agenda
1. Opening.
. Announcement of proxies and apologies.
. General announcements.
. Deaths recorded since 19th AGM.
. Minutes of 19th AGM and business arising (copies
available at the meeting or from the Secretary).
6. Executive Annual Report, including reports of
Treasurer, Chief Editor, Myrmecia Editor and
Business Manager.
7. Conservation Committee Report.
wo &. Ww fr
8. Competitions - announcement of awards.
(a) Student Award 1989.
(b) Biological Illustration Competitions 1989.
9. Business arising from 37th General Meeting.
10. Announcement of Office-bearers and Councillors
for 1989/90.
11. Report of the 20th AGM Organising Committee.
12. Report of the 21st AGM Organising Committee.
13. Other business (arranged with Secretary not later
than April 4).
14. Close.
Myrmecia
OBITUARY
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=
vel
Joseph Julius Herbert Szent-Ivany
(1910-June 10, 1988)
Joe Szent-lvany, Honorary Entomologist at the South
Australian Museum since 1966, died in Adelaide on 10 June
1988 at the age of 78. A passionate and active entomologist
until shortly before his death, Joe's long career spanned
Europe, New Guinea and Australia and was inextricably
influenced by the political and war-time events of his central
European homeland.
He was born in 1910 in the Tatra mountains of southern
Slovakia, where his family had extensive property in the
Szent-lvany Valley, including a famous scenic lake. The
region is now part of Czechoslovakia. His family retained an
English governess and Joe and his sisters became as fluent
in English as in Hungarian. He went on to obtain a diploma
in political science and economics from the University of
Vienna and a PhD in entomology from the Pasmany Peter
University in Budapest (1936). He was subsequently on the
February 1989
staff of the Hungarian Museum of Natural Sciences in
Budapest and also lectured in Zoology at the University of
Science, Szeged. His interest was always particularly with
the Lepidoptera and he became an authority on the
European Pyralidae.
During this time of political turmoil in Europe Joe Szent-
lvany’s citizenship changed from Hungarian to
Czechoslovakian and later back to Hungarian. For a short
period between the two world wars he served in the Czech
army.
In 1940 he married Maria who was an artist at the
Museum (she illustrated a well known book on birds) and
daughter of an eminent politician with properties at Kassa in
northern Hungary.
As World War || was drawing to a close Joe Szent-Ivany
had been sent to Germany. There he was engaged by the
Canadian Army to assist with their camp management and
with translation. Later he joined the Australian Immigration
Service as a selection officer in Germany and, in due
course, migrated to Australia himself in 1950, leaving Maria
to follow when she could.
in Australia, Joe joined the Commonwealth Public
Service as a clerk until 1954 when he was appointed as
Entomologist with the Department of Agriculture, Stock and
Fisheries in the then Territory of Papua and New Guinea.
He was based at Port Moresby. While there he heard news
of the 1956 uprising in Hungary, followed soon after by a
telegram from his wife in Vienna with the tumultuous news
that she and their daughter lidi had successtully escaped
from Hungary. They joined him in Port Moresby soon after.
During his time in New Guinea Joe became one of the
best known entomologists in the Pacific Region, hosting and
advising innumerable entomological visitors to New Guinea.
He collected and sent material from NG far and wide for
identification and study, He undertook landmark
documentation of pest insects in the developing country,
where the great proportion of pests were native insects
which had moved on to exotic crops afler their introduction,
He was a driving force in the establishment of the PNG
National Museum and Art Gallery and was one of its six
trustees as well as its Honorary Consultant in Entomology.
A particularly fruitful friendship developed between Joe
and J.L. Gressitt of the Bishop Museum in Hawaii, Grossitt
had started a Museum field station at Wau in 1960 and this
was later to become the Wau Ecology Institute. The Szent-
Page 29
lvany family visited often, Joe to study the biology of plant-
feeding insects while Maria prepared illustrations for their
publications. Joe and Lin Gressitt collaborated for 7 years in
preparing the landmark “Bibliography of New Guinea” (674
pp.) published in 1968. In November 1975 a new laboratory
at the Institute was dedicated to Szent-lvany.
Joe Szent-lvany retired from NG in 1966 and settled in
Adelaide where he became an active Honorary Associate of
the South Australian Museum. At this point the story is best
taken up by Gordon Gross’ personal reminisce:
“Joe first called into the South Australian Museum,
probaly in 1965 (our Visitors Book was not started until 1969
so | cannot check the date of this visit), along with his wife
Maria and daughter Ildi. Joe had already amassed a
formidable reputation as the foremost entomologist in New
Guinea and the one that you simply had to see if you went
Page 30
that he would shortly be retiring to Adelaide, and was
promptly sounded out if he would like to be an Honorary
Research Associate of the South Australian Museum, to
which he agreed. When the family arrived in Adelaide in
1966 to live in their new house at Athelstone (appropriately
opposite a nature reserve), the formalities had been
completed. He was then 56 years of age.
For nearly every working day over the next 18 years Joe
came in, starting mostly at the same time as we others did
and leaving when we did. Only for a few holiday periods
and during several study trips overseas was he not there at
his desk. Back in our old quarters in the main Museum
building we were terribly cramped and | have vivid memories
of how Joe, Jan Forrest and | used to work on secondhand
school desks lined up along a wall in front of the cabinets in
the upstairs collection room.
In 1974 when the Entomology Section was relocated to
Goldsbrough House where we rented several floors,
included one whole floor for Entomology, we were at last
able to provide Joe with his own workrooms. Joe spent
endless hours in his room pounding away on a battered
typewriter and chewing endless cigars as he prepared the
text for a massive work on the insects of economic
importance of Papua New Guinea. He broke off from time to
time for something that he both liked and was good at - a
chat with one or more of us about an incredible variety of
subjects. While Joe was with us he mainly continued his
work on New Guinea insects and did not try to become very
familiar with yet a third fauna, the Australian, over the two he
already knew (Europe and New Guinea). During this period
the massive work with the late Lin Gressitt on the
‘Bibliography of New Guinea Insects" appeared (1968)
together with 12 other papers on New Guinea insects and 2
reviews of works on Australian insects.
In 1977 Joe was elected President of the Royal Society
of South Australia and in 1985 was awarded the Order of
Australia (AM) for “Services to Science, especially
Entomology in Australia and the South Pacific’. He was also
active in the Nature Conservation Society of South Australia
and the Fauna Committee of the National Trust of South
Australia.
But we are not eternal and as the time came after a
decade in Goldsbrough House to move to new, and in some
ways, less capacious, quarters (though amalgamated again
with the rest of the Natural History Sections) it was obvious
Myrmecia
to Joe (and though we did not say anything to him - us also)
that he was slowing down. Joe was then around 75 years of
age, his health was failing, and he was finding it increasingly
difficult to make his way in to Adelaide. He was regrettably
able only to visit us a few times in our new quarters before
his death.
Above all of his professional excellence Joe Szent-ivany
was noted for his “old world” charm and generous nature.
He was a devoted family man who leaves behind his wife
Maria and daughter and her family as well as many
professional friends”,
(Compiled from information from the South Australian
Museum, Joe and Maria Sedlacek, Gordon Gross, and an
obituary by R.W. Paine in Antenna 12(4): 154. Photographs
by Jan Forrest).
February 1989
Page 31
CSIRO Journals
CONCESSION RATES FOR MEMBERS
Members are notified that as members of Australian Entomological Society they can subscribe to Journals published by
CSIRO at the very attractive concessional rates shown below. Note that in 1989 the Australian Journal of Biological Sciences
changes its name to REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT>
Normal
Price
Australian Journal of Agricultural
Research $130.00
Australian Journal of Botany $130.00
Australian Systematic Botany
(new journal) $ 90.00
Australian Journal of Chemistry $330.00
Australian Journal of Marine and
Freshwater Research $140.00
Australian Journal of Physics $180.00
Australian Journal of Physiology $140.00
Australian Journal of Soil
Research $ 90,00
Australian Journal of Zoology $140,00
Invertebrate Taxonomy $220,00
Australian Journal of Experimental
Agriculture $130.00
Australian Wildlife Research $120.00
Concession
Price
$ 65.00
$ 65.00
$ 45.00
$160.00
$ 70.00
$ 60.00
$ 65.00
§ 45.00
§ 70.00
$110,00
§ 65,00
$ 45,00
OO W OU ~ Se
|_|
=
lf you wish to subscribe to one or more of the Journals
please tick the appropriate boxes and forward this form (or a
photocopy) to the Treasurer at her address below with the
correct amount of money by March 15, Cheques must be
made payable to Australian Entomological Society.
Ms A. Hill, AES Treasurer
Agriculture Department
Baron-Hay Court
South Perth WA 6151
Page 32 Myrmecia
Australian Entomological Society Inc.
APPOINTMENT OF PROXIES
(This completed form should reach the Secretary prior to the meetings(s) concerned),
Ley Tt ent Nene ono ee ee MREEP eo eve CR ME ONO ES SASS SOON SSR OSS RNRPERGDEIES CC SAA DE de neon Td AUdSEsesssaEnese SuEdeGe DubEHbES CHEER STEEN SS UDEdabEbE bd btOn de cebdoeb odes coecienescecenqkedéceunha
as my proxy to vote for me on my behalf at the Council Meeting, Annual or Special General Meeting, as the case
may be, of the Society, to be held on the 3rd to 6th days of May, 1989 and at any adjournment thereof.
INE fort vuskistne aacncdine sae biienaanneiss ial a tate NONE cestiat dace ct Siihesara uaininsrvnenniwccbvcreenteaniovenas tebe, iia
(Signature)
(A photocopy of this form may be used).
AUSTRALIAN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
20TH AGM AND SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE
TO BE HELD AT
MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY, SYDNEY
3rd — 6th MAY, 1989
CONFERENCE THEME: Insects '89: Prospects and Problems
MAJOR SYMPOSIUM: Chemical Control of Insects and Mites
ADDITIONAL SESSIONS:
Advances in Systematics Biological and Integrated Control
Forest Entomology Medical and Veterinary Entomology
| Hormones and Physiology Ants General Entomology
In addition to the formal sessions, the Organising Committee hopes that members will continue the
recent tradition of convening small special interest workshops within the Conference period.
Macquarie University i6 situated in the north western suburbs of Sydney, about 15 km from the city. To
the north, the University buildings look out over rolling grasslands leading down to bushland reserves in
the Lane Cove Hiver valley Accommodation has been arranged at Dunmore Lang College, a pleasant
modern college about 5 minutes walk from the University buildings
hor further information. contact
Dinah Hales, School of Mologioal Solenoesa Mar Quarie University NSW 2100 (02) 805 8181
cn
John Macdonald, BCHL PMI10, ydaimere NSW O16 (O09) aac a7ae
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REGIONAL
COUNCILLORS
Queensland
Miss M.A.Schneider
Entomology Department
University of Queensland
St Lucia Qid 4067
(07) 3773656
Dr E Hassan
Plant Pathology
Queensland Agric.College
Lawes Qid 4345
(075) 620285
Mr M.F Downes
Zoology Department
James Cook University
Townsville Qid 4811
(077) 814111
South Australia
Mrs A. Wells
Zoology Department
University of Adelaide
Adelaide SA 5000
(08) 2285691
Dr D.A.Mackay
School of Biol. Sciences
Flinders University
Bedford Park SA 5042
(08) 2752627/2752035
Australian Capital Territory
Dr P. Cranston
CSIRO Entomology
GPO Box 1700
Canberra ACT 2601
(062) 465290
Fax (062) 470217
Dr J.C.Daly
CSIRO Entomology
GPO Box 1700
Canberra ACT 2601
(062) 465349/63
Fax (062) 470217
Western Australia
Mr P.R. Davis
31 Cotton Crescent
Bull Creek WA 6155
(09) 3683232
Tasmania
Mr L. Hill
Agriculture Department
Box 303
Devonport Tas 7310
(004) 240236
Fax (004) 242173
New South Wales
Dr D.G. James
Yanco Agricultural Inst.
NSW Agriculture
Yanco NSW 2703
(069) 530244
A/Prof D.F.Hales
School of Biological Sciences
Macquarie University NSW
2109
(02) 8058181
Fax (02) 8058245
Dr D.J. Bickel
Australian Museum
(Entomology)
Box A285
sydney South NSW 2000
(02) 3398221
Fax (02) 3604350
Victoria
Miss J.Comery
Plant Research Inst
Swan Street
Burnley Vic 3121
(03) 8101511
Fax (03) 8195653
Mr D.M. Ewart
Zoology Department
LaTrobe University
Bundoora Vic 3083
(03) 4783122
Fax (03) 4785814
Northern Territory
Mr E.S.C. Smith
DPP Entomology Section
GPO Box 4160
Darwin NT 5794
(089) 221 256
Fax (089) 470749
REPRESENTATIVE
COUNCILLORS
Entomological Society of
Queensland
Mr G. Daniels
Entomology Department
University of Queensland
St Lucia Qid 4067
(07) 3773656
Entomological Society
of New South Wales
Mr J.A. Macdonald
Biol.and Chem. Research Inst.
PMB No 10
Rydalmere NSW 2116
(02) 6839714
Fax (02) 6839714
Entomological Society of
Victoria
Mr K.L. Walker
Museum of Victoria
71 Victoria Cresent
Abbotsford Vic 3067
(03) 4195200
Fax (03) 6631490
OVERSEAS
CORRESPONDENT
New Zealand
Mr J Tenquist
Wallaceville Animal
Res. Centre
Private Bag
Upper Hutt
New Zealand
Honorary Members
Dr P.B.Carne
Dr |.F.B.Common
Dr J.W.Evans
Dr E.N.Marks
Dr K.R.Norris
Dr C.N.Smithers
Mackerras Medallists
1984 Dr J.A.L.Watson
1986 Dr R.W.Sutherst
1988 Dr.T.R.New
Sustaining Associates
Australian Entomological
Supplies
Bayer Australia Ltd
Ciba-Geigy Ltd
Cyanamid Australia Pty Ltd
Dow Chemical (Aust) Ltd
F. & B. Chemicals Pty Lid
ICl Australia Ltd
Shell Chemical (Aust) Pty Ltd
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11