Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

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Early Detection Crew Update: October – December 2020

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Lissa Strohecker

MISC’s Early Detection team, Forest and Kim Starr, identify the ants collected by staff and submitted by the public. In the process of sorting ants, the Starrs found two ant species not previously detected on Maui or Molokai, Pseudomyrmex gracilis (Mexican twig ant) and Solenopsis abdita. These species may have been present for many years but went undetected because few people were out looking. The Starrs submitted voucher specimens to the University of Hawai‘i Insect Museum and the records will be published in the Bishop Museum’s Occasional Papers series. Surveys conducted at the Kahului airport as part of the statewide Māmalu Poepoe project detected no coconut rhinoceros beetles, little fire ants, Africanized honeybees, or honeybee pests such as varroa mite. No news can be good news!

The early detection team found Celosia argentea (cockscomb) growing on the side of ʻĪao Stream. This plant has never before been documented on Maui.

Additional new detections by the Early Detection team included Salvia hispanica (chia) in the wild in the Piʻiholo area, – a new state record as this plant has not been found growing in the wild before – and Celosia argentea (cockscomb) from the side of ʻĪao Stream – a new island record.  The team sent the names of these new species to the Hawaiʻi Public Weed Risk Assessment program to determine potential invasiveness. The vouchers will be housed at Bishop Museum to confirm the identity and provide a reference for future researchers. Additionally, the records will be published in the Bishop Museum Occasional Papers to keep the records of Hawaiian flora up to date.  

During surveys at Kahului Airport done as part of the Māmalu Poepoe program, Kim Starr checks a trap designed to attract the coconut rhinoceros beetle. No beetles were detected.

The Early Detection team also maintains Hawaiʻi Plant and Insect ID sites on Flickr where they provide free identifications to conservation professionals and the public. Over the last quarter, they identified 40 plant and 21 insect species.

You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

Other species updates from this quarter are below:

Outreach and Education Update: October – December 2020
Early Detection Crew Update: October – December 2020
Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee Update: October – December 2020
Hāna Plant Crew Update: October – December 2020
Pāʻia Plant Crew Update: October – December 2020
Little Fire Ant Crew Update: October – December 2020
Community Coqui Control Program Update: October – December 2020
Coqui Crew Update: October – December 2020

Filed Under: Update Tagged With: early detection, Oct-Dec 20

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Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)
Office: (808) 573-6472
Press and Media Inquiries: (808) 344-2756
Mailing Address:
PO Box 983, Makawao, HI 96768

Acting Manager / Public Relations: Lissa Strohecker
E-mail: miscpr@hawaii.edu

Special Projects: Teya Penniman
E-mail: miscmgr@hawaii.edu

Statewide Pest Hotline: 808-643-PEST
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