Megamelus proserpina Kirkaldy

Swezey, O. H., 1946, Notes On Some Fulgoroidea Of Guam, Insects of Guam II, Honolulu, Hawaii: Bernice P. Bishop Museum, pp. 149-156 : 152

4. Megamelus proserpina Kirkaldy ,

Haw. Sugar Plant. Assoc. Expt. Sta., Ent. Bull. 3: 147, pl. 10, figs. 5-7, pl. 12, figs. 19-21, 1907.

Gulch near Mt. Tenjo , May 3; Agana, May 15; Merizo , Oct. 2; Dededo, Nov. 8; Libugon, Nov. 10. All by Swezey.

The taro leafhopper was described from Suva, Fiji, without mention of food plant. It is now known as a taro pest in Samoa, Niue, Queensland, Amboina, Java, the Philippines, and Hawaii. It was first reported in Guam in 1924. In 1927, under the name Megamelus sp. , it was reported as epidemic, and its attacks were followed by a fungus disease (Gloeosporium sp.) that often ruined the entire crop. In 1936 I did not see any serious injury by the taro leafhopper in Guam. In fact, it was rather scarce on dryland taro, the predominant variety grown . In a few places where there were small plantings of wet taro by ditches the leafhopper was very abundant, but did not seem to affect the taro seriously.

A dryinid parasite attacks this leafhopper to a slight extent. Parasitized leafhoppers and parasite cocoons were found on taro leaves at Dededo, Merizo, and Libugon. Three female dryinids and one male were obtained from these cocoons. It is the same species ( Haplogonatopits vitiensis Perkins ) which is now attacking the taro leafhopper in Hawaii. It was introduced from Fiji in 1906 as a parasite for the sugar cane leafhopper.

Attempts were made to breed out egg parasites, but none were obtained. Two fungus diseases killed some of the leafhoppers, the dead ones adhering to the leaves.