Tree Diameter: 54cm

ring count: 310 @ 14cm

Taxonomic name: Quadrastichus erythrinae Kim

Life Cycle Stages:

Lifecycle stages Studies conducted by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) on Erythrina gall wasp (Quadrastichus erythrinae) indicate a life cycle (egg to adult) of about 20 days. A one-day old female wasp contains about 60 mature eggs in its ovaries. The adult female wasp exhibited a preference for depositing eggs in very young terminal leaves and stems, but not mature leaves. Adult wasps not given any food survived less than 3 days (males – 2.5 days, females – 2.9 days) while those provided with honey lived longer (males – 10.3 days, females – 6.1 days). The sex ratio of emerging wasps in lab-infested plants was 7 males to 1 female (Heu et al. 2006).

Source: http://issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=965&fr=1&sts=sss

Common Names: Bruchid Beetle, Bean Weevil

Taxonomic Name: Bruchinae Specularis Impressi Thorax

Life Cycle Stages:

This is general weevil information and not specific to this genus.

The female bean weevil lays its small white eggs on bean pods in the field or on beans in storage. These eggs are easily visible on the outside of the beans and numerous eggs can be found on a single bean. Each female lays up to 6o eggs and the larvae emerge in about 5 to 20 days. The tiny, grub-like larvae bore their way into the bean and eat out a cavity. Several larvae feed on each bean and end up consuming a considerable portion of its insides. Following their last molt after 11 to 42 days of feeding, the larvae pupate near the surface of the bean and then emerge from the bean in 5 to 18 days, leaving numerous holes in the hole. The entire life cycle can take as little as 21 days or as long as 80 days depending on environmental conditions. Bean weevils are strong fliers and the first indication of infested stored beans is often the presence of flying weevils. The larvae of the bean weevil do all of the damage as the adults do not feed. Bean weevils feign death (play dead) when disturbed and may take up to five minutes to resume movement.

Source: http://jetlim.com/bentzjaz/brochure/seedbeetle_fungusweevil.pdf

This  calendar indicates the annual growing cycle of Wiliwili trees on the Big Island, Hawai’i. There are exceptions with trees who may maintain their leaves a great deal longer then the others in the same area. Some will flowered and seeds while others do not. Seeds will either drop to the ground or remain in their opened pods, wiliwili got its name from their twisted seed pods. Pest life cycles are added. Bruchid beetles exists as long as there are seeds whether on ground or in tree. They can be living inside a closed lid jar for six months or longer.

Now that we have a better picture of the seasonal cycle of the wiliwili tree and its pests, see updated calendar, seed collection is becoming more and more important as a mean preservation and slow down the beetles or also know as the bean weevil. The only problem is only few trees are healthy enough to produce seeds and they are fairly hard to get to in places. Beetle lay eggs on seeds after they are exposed in their pods. If we get to the seeds before they lay eggs or soon after ( with cleaning) our seeds will have a better chance. I have observed 80-90 % seeds infestation on trees while still in their pods. A small number of seed producers and high seed mortality rate equate to a bleak future. Whew! lots of work.

It appears that the proposed Kawaihae Road Bypass will miss the remaining Wiliwili trees that are in Department of Land and Natural Resources in Kamuela. I am not certain whether there are more trees west toward the coast and Kawaihae that may be threatened by construction of this new bypass. Further survey of existing trees will have to be done along the entire proposed road.

On our recent survey on April 11th, we discovered that some seeds were filled with tiny bugs whom appeared dead when the seeds were cut open.  These were actually cocoons of Pteromalidae wasp, as identified by Ross Hill contributor to www.bugguide.net,  a parasitic wasp that preys on the larvae of Bruchid  beetles that infect the seeds.

Life Cycle of  Bean Weevil, Bruchinea ,

The female bean weevil lays its small white eggs on bean pods in the field or on beans in storage. These eggs are easily visible on the outside of the beans and numerous eggs can be found on a single bean. Each female lays up to 6o eggs and the larvae emerge in about 5 to 20 days. The tiny, grub-like larvae bore their way into the bean and eat out a cavity. Several larvae feed on each bean and end up consuming a considerable portion of its insides. Following their last molt after 11 to 42 days of feeding, the larvae pupate near the surface of the bean and then emerge from the bean in 5 to 18 days, leaving numerous holes in the hole. The entire life cycle can take as little as 21 days or as long as 80 days depending on environmental conditions. Source: (http://jetlim.com/bentzjaz/brochure/seedbeetle_fungusweevil.pdf)

Most seeds are damaged by parasitic wasp as evident by small pin hole(s). Others and i have tried to germinate the damage seeds without success. Inert seeds are dark brown or maroon while live ones are red or orange. Damages occur while seeds are still on the branches.

I did have a successful germination by simply inserting the seed in dirt and keeping the soil moist. the seed sprouted in about one week.

Wiliwili trees are endemic Hawaii plants and are threatened.

red dirt twin ruts
lead lazy turns
through lion fur
grass waving
up to the pu u
where blue sky
tussles its blond top

lonely cactus knee deep
in the velvet sea
miming to each other
with ridiculous poses

a grand naked
orange tree
branches busy
trunk twisted
stand divided
back to its
younger flirtatious
flowering kind