Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

Rats triggered changes in the environment of Hawai’i prior to humans settlement

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  • Lo’ulu palms, like these pictured in the Kahanu Garden in Hāna, Maui, once lined the coast and sheltered understory plants in arid, windswept plains. Photo by Forest and Kim Starr
  • Rats arrived in Hawaiʻi to find a tasty protein-rich meal in the palm seeds of the palms. Photo by Forest and Kim Starr

Palm trees and Hawaiʻi go together like fish and poi, right?  Kind of.  The coconut palms that line the beaches throughout the state are iconic, but are actually relative newcomers to the islands – one of the “canoe plants” brought to the islands by Polynesians. The only palms native to Hawaiʻi belong to the genus Pritcharidia. They won the sea-current lottery, arriving from the eastern Pacific near the Cook Islands and Tonga some 3.5 to 8 million years ago.  Over time, the extreme isolation of the island chain led to the evolution of 23 to 27 endemic species, found only in the islands.

The first Polynesian voyagers arrived to find loʻulu groves lining the coastlines. These palms grew farther inland as well – in the wet rain forests, across wind-swept plains, and on arid leeward slopes. But within a single generation of the first humans, the loʻulu were mostly gone. To better understand when and why they vanished, scientists have peered underfoot, analyzing what was once wind-borne pollen.

The distinctive shape of a grain of pollen gives clues to its ancestry. The hard walls of pollen help preserve it in the fossil record. By examining layers of pollen deposited over time, scientists can better understand what plants formerly grew in an area.

In the late 1990s, researchers collected and analyzed soil samples from Oʻahu’s ʻEwa Plain, west of Pearl Harbor, to better understand the ecological history of the area. The ʻEwa Plain is arid and isolated from stream flow, providing a stable environment in which dirt and debris, including pollen and bones, accumulated over millions of years. The researchers were especially focused on evaporate ponds — areas where water collects after rainfall, then evaporates – and a sinkhole. Both are places with little disturbance that offer excellent conditions for soil sampling; sinkholes act as vaults for the bones of animals that fall in.  

Huelo Islet off the coast of Molokaʻi is one of the few places in Hawaiʻi free of invasive rats. Loulu palms thrive there as they once did when humans first arrived in Hawaii. — FOREST and KIM STARR photo

From these collections of soil, pollen, and animal bones, the researchers read the story of the ʻEwa Plain. At one time, loʻulu stood tall, shrubby ʻaʻaliʻi and other plants formed the subcanopy. Huge, flightless moa nalo – goose-like ducks – and other land and seabirds had populated the area. The layers then reveal a plot twist – a sudden and dramatic decline in the loʻulu populations and the coincident arrival of a new character – the Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans) – their bones making a timestamp in the sinkholes. Other flowering plants, such as the low-growing ʻāweoweo, became dominant around the same time and bird populations plummeted. Only after the loʻulu population had collapsed do humans arrive in the area – as shown by deposits of charcoal. Rats, initially brought by people, spread across the landscape faster than the humans that introduced them.  Early habitat alteration – the use of fire to encourage growth of grasslands for example – likely impacted loʻulu and native animals, but research findings from the ʻEwa Plain has led researchers to conclude that invasive rats likely catalyzed changes in vegetation that led to the initial decline in bird populations.

Today, loʻulu are still present but scattered, found in very low numbers. A mature loʻulu, one of the taller species, stands out – a distinctive marker in the forest. Cultivating palms in landscape settings may be possible by protecting protein-rich seeds from rats, but in the wild, species of loʻulu are increasingly rare and even endangered. The Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources has designated seven palm species for protection through the Plant Extinction Prevention Program. Placement on the list means fewer than 50 individual plants remain in the wild. Offshore islets such as Huelo Islet on the North shore of Molokai offer a glimpse into the past, where loʻulu palms thrive on rodent-free islands.   Conservation efforts in other countries have successfully eradicated invasive rats from islands to protect the native species that live there. New Zealand has set a goal of removing rodent predators entirely by 2050. There are efforts in Hawai’i to protect offshore islets and their rare plants and animals. Learn more about them at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/removerats/

Lissa Strohecker is the public relations and education specialist for the Maui Invasive Species Committee. She holds a biological sciences degree from Montana State University. Kia’i Moku, “Guarding the Island,” is prepared by the Maui Invasive Species Committee to provide information on protecting the island from invasive plants and animals that can threaten the island’s environment, economy, and quality of life.

This article was originally published in the Maui News on August 8, 2020 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles


Quantifying miconia’s impacts; big leaves mean big water drops and high levels of erosion

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Miconia escaped cultivation to spread throughout East Maui. Containment rather than eradication is the goal for this invasive species on Maui and crews protect upper elevation watersheds by removing plants they find as they hike through the forest. MISC file photo.

On most weekdays, on the slopes and gulches above and below the Hāna Highway, a crew is hacking its way through the forest, spread out in a sweep line. They make slow progress through a mix of non-native and invasive plants:  bamboo, inkberry, guava, and white ginger proliferate in this low-elevation forest. Somewhere in the midst of these forests is miconia, another non-native invader. The Hāna-based crew from the Maui Invasive Species Committee is here to find miconia and pull it from the ground.  

Miconia may be found across a broad swath of the East Maui Watershed, from Kīpahulu to Huelo, but not as a continuous infestation. Dense pockets occur, especially in the area above Hāna town and in parts of Nāhiku, but elsewhere it’s patchy, thanks to decades of work to suppress and contain the infestation.  

  • Large miconia leaves act as umbrellas, shading out sunlight. MISC file photo
  • The forest floor under a miconia invasion is bare, often with exposed roots. Not a good sign for water collection. MISC file photo
  • Miconia can be identified by the “leaf within a leaf” vein pattern of the leaves. Also, the purple underside. MISC file photo

Miconia should be an understory plant, as it is in the dark subcanopy of South Central American jungles of its native range. But in Hawaiʻi, open-canopy forests and the absence of significant “natural enemies” allow miconia to become the dominant plant. Invasive plants don’t just crowd out native plants and diminish habitat for native animals; they also can alter the landscape and ecosystem processes. A 2013 study on Hawaiʻi Island, by Kazuki Nanko of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute in Japan and University of Hawaiʻi professor Thomas Giambelluca, set out to dig a bit deeper into how miconia affects the ‘aina.

The team examined what happens on the forest floor when miconia takes over. Miconia’s leaves are huge – up to three feet long by two feet wide. These monstrous botanical solar panels help collect light in a dark understory in South America, but in Hawaiʻi they cast a deep shade, reducing the ability of native plants to capture the energy they need to thrive. Their study revealed that the amount of sunlight that reaches the forest floor is consistently lower in a monotypic miconia-invaded forest when compared to a native ʻōhiʻa-dominated forest, or forests invaded by a diverse mixture of plants. Additionally, miconia leaves decompose quickly, reducing the amount of leaf litter.

This study also investigated what happens to raindrops as they hit the forest canopy all the way down to the forest floor.

The giant leaves act like a tarp: water puddles before falling to the ground.

Miconia produces some of the largest leaf throughfall drops ever measured, with cascading impacts.

Unlike our multi-layered ʻōhiʻa forests, with their carpets of ferns and mid-canopy plants, miconia can develop into a one- layer stand. Larger raindrops, unimpeded by understory or leaf litter, gain speed, hitting the ground with greater kinetic energy than rain falling from the sky. Giant raindrops pound and compact bare soil, causing water to travel along the surface instead of filtering into the ground to recharge our aquifers. In some areas of miconia-invaded forest, bare roots and other signs of erosion tell the tale of how miconia is washing away our forest floor.

The scale of the East Maui miconia infestation has demonstrated that this plant is a formidable foe. Current efforts focus on keeping it out of upper elevation forest and preventing it from spreading farther west. Research and testing continue to find safe and effective natural enemies of miconia. Help us keep the raindrops in our forests.  If you find a miconia plant on Maui, recognizable by its large green and purple leaves, report it to 643pest.org.

Lissa Strohecker is the public relations and education specialist for the Maui Invasive Species Committee. She holds a biological sciences degree from Montana State University. Kia’i Moku, “Guarding the Island,” is prepared by the Maui Invasive Species Committee to provide information on protecting the island from invasive plants and animals that can threaten the island’s environment, economy, and quality of life.

This article was originally published in the Maui News on September 12, 2020 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles

Citizen scientists and concerned community find ants new to Hawaiʻi

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  • The trap-jaw ant had never before been found in Hawaiʻi until a taro farmer in Hanalei collected it. Photo credit: Tom Murray, iNaturalist.org
  • Collecting ant samples can help find species new to the islands as well as stop invasive ants. Photo courtesy of Masako Cordray.

In 2017, a taro farmer in Hanalei on Kaua’i found a strange ant in his lo’i – large and brownish red with mouth parts half the length of its head. Entomologists identified it as a species of trap-jaw ant, Odontomachus ruginodis, never before found in Hawai’i. Trap-jaw ants are aptly named: they can open their mandibles to a gaping 180° and, when nearby prey triggers tiny hairs on the inside, snap them shut at an astounding 140 mph, the second-fastest predatory animal movement known. According to Eric Garcia, an entomologist with the Hawai’i Department of Agriculture (HDOA), the ants find homes in composting wood. They will bite and sting but tend to flee when they see people or feel the ground moving, even using their snapping jaws to “jump” away. 

The arrival of the trap-jaw ant to our state is relatively recent, but it has plenty of company. Nearly 60 ant species have found their way to Hawai’i, which previously had no ants. All have some impacts, with little fire ants (LFA) causing some of the greatest to date. Unlike trap-jaw ants, LFA are slow-moving, relatively oblivious of their surroundings, and unable to hold onto branches in a breeze. What they lack in aggression, they make up for in sheer number: supercolonies blanket trees and the ground, outcompeting other insects. When humans inadvertently encounter them, they leave with necks and torsos covered in welts from the sting of the ants. Pets can become blind from repeated stings. LFA are targeted for removal in Maui County, O’ahu, and Kaua’i.

Little fire ants are tiny! Only about 2 mm long. Image courtesy of Zach Pezzillo.

With over 20,000 different species of ants in the world, and a high dependency on imported goods, Hawai’i remains vulnerable to other troublesome ants hitchhiking a ride. Pest species that have recently invaded mainland states are particularly worrying.

The red imported fire ant (RIFA), native to South America, has spread throughout Texas and the Southeast. RIFA is very aggressive, swarming up people’s legs, leaving stings that can cause intense itching, swelling, and even anaphylactic shock. The tawny crazy ant, a relative newcomer to the Gulf Coast and southern states, excludes all other species, even covering itself in formic acid as a defense against RIFA. Poultry can die from attacks and cattle and other grazing animals suffer bites on their nostrils, mouths, and eyes. They are attracted to electrical wiring and tend to chew through the plastic casing and cause short circuits and, sometimes, fires. 

What’s being done to prevent new invasions?

Inspectors stationed at the ports of entry check high-risk materials – ornamentals, food, and cut flowers – but the volume of incoming cargo limits their ability to inspect everything. Ants are small; many are found but sometimes they slip through. When they do, it’s often taro farmers, nursery owners, school kids, and beachgoers who find them. 

The first detection of little fire ants in Hawai’i occurred when a Big Island nursery grower reported them to HDOA. On Maui, 11 of the 17 known infestations came to the attention of the Maui Invasive Species Committee through community reports. Students surveying for little fire ants as part of a class project found a species of ant new to Hawai’i – a tiny yellow LFA look-alike. Public reports of stinging ants at a Lāhainā beach lead to the first detection of the Mexican twig ant on Maui. Even RIFA and LFA were first detected on the mainland by kids: E.O. Wilson – a famed entomologist – collected RIFA in 1942 at age 13 in Alabama and a 12-year-old girl found LFA in Florida in 1924.

What can you do? Join in. This October, the Invasive Species Committees and partners throughout Hawai’i are encouraging people to collect and submit samples of ants from their yards during Stop the Ant Month. Think of it as doing a yearly physical for your home: collect and send in the ants you find to make sure there’s nothing to worry about. If something concerning pops up, early detection is on our side.

Collecting ants is easy; it just takes a smear of peanut butter and a few minutes.

  1. Smear a tiny bit of peanut butter (or mayonnaise if peanut allergies are a concern) on several sticks, coffee stirrers, or pieces of cardboard, and place them in shady places in your yard. Set a timer for 45 minutes.  
  2. After 45 minutes, collect the ants, place them in a plastic bag labeled with your name, address, and contact information, and freeze them overnight.
  3. Mail samples to MISC, P.O. Box 983, Makawao, HI 96768.

Indications of little fire ants include stings on the neck and torso that may resemble an allergic reaction. If you have experienced this, please contact us immediately: miscants@hawaii.edu or report it online through 643PEST.org. Find videos, lessons, and more information about invasive ants in Hawaiʻi at www.stoptheant.org. 

Lissa Strohecker is the public relations and education specialist for the Maui Invasive Species Committee. She holds a biological sciences degree from Montana State University. Kia’i Moku, “Guarding the Island,” is prepared by the Maui Invasive Species Committee to provide information on protecting the island from invasive plants and animals that can threaten the island’s environment, economy, and quality of life.

A version of this article was originally published in the Maui News on October 10, 2020 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles

Research informs the efforts to stop Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD)

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ʻŌhiʻa are a keystone species in Hawai’i and are found nowhere else in the world.

ʻŌhiʻa are the pioneers – the first trees to grow on bare lava. ʻŌhiʻa are also adaptable – they grow from sea level to tree line. ʻŌhiʻa are critical in capturing fresh water, supporting threatened and endangered species, and maintaining traditional cultural practices like hula. But these remarkable trees are at risk from Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD), a disease that kills ʻōhiʻa trees. ROD has killed over one million ʻōhiʻa across Hawaiʻi Island. Diseased trees have been found on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, and Maui. Already, hula hālau are staying out of the forests to protect ʻōhiʻa.

Since 2014, a team of highly dedicated scientists – ecologists, plant pathologists, geographers, and foresters – have been studying the origin, impact, and spread of the two newly identified species of fungus that cause Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD): Ceratocystis lukuohia and Ceratocystis huliohia. Ceratocystis is a common – and sometimes devastating – plant pathogen, but these two species of Ceratocystis are new to science and new to Hawaiʻi.

Researchers Flint Hughes of the USDA Forest Service, Ryan Perroy of UH Hilo, Greg Asner of Arizona State, and others are using a combination of remote-sensing and field observations to gauge ʻōhiʻa death across Hawaiʻi Island. They have found that more trees are killed by ROD in areas where non-native hooved animals are present when compared to areas protected from those animals.

Invasive animals wound the bark of ʻōhiʻa, creating an entry point for the fungus. Damage from goats, sheep, and cattle is obvious – bark is missing. But the team also observed higher numbers of ROD-killed trees in forests with high pig populations. It is possible that pigs are damaging the roots of the trees opening it up for infection.

In a greenhouse study, pathologist Marc Hughes of the University of Hawaiʻi and the USDA Forest Service mulched potted ʻōhiʻa seedlings with sawdust made from infected trees containing Ceratocystis. The trees were healthy until Hughes cut some of the roots with a knife. Those trees then died, indicating that injuries to roots can also create opportunities for the fungus to infect trees. 

“Wounds can only be infected for a short time. Once they dry out the fungus can no longer infect them. So protecting a forest helps, even if it has some ROD now” says J. B. Friday, extension forester with the University of Hawaiʻi Cooperative Extension Service.

Protecting the forests also helps ensure seedling survival. Ecologist Stephanie Yelenik of the USGS conducted experiments looking at what happens to ʻōhiʻa seedlings under ROD-affected trees, in plots where invasive plants and animals were removed and in plots where the pests remained. As seedlings died, researchers tested them for the presence of ROD – no sign of the pathogen was present. Seedlings were six times more likely to die in plots where invasive species were left unchecked. Invasive plants and animals posed a greater threat to the seedlings than ROD did during the study. 

The first step in addressing ROD on Maui is to prevent it from arriving. HDOA has established a quarantine on the movement of ʻōhiʻa trees and plant parts from Hawaiʻi Island to other areas in the state. Hikers should brush off soil and clean boots or shoes with rubbing alcohol to remove any ROD-contaminated soil when traveling between islands. 

  • Indiciations of ROD infection include a branch or tree dying quickly – within weeks.
  • The Ceratocytis fungus responsible for killing ʻōhiʻa across 15,000 acres on Hawaii Island can be seen as a dark staining in the sapwood. Photo by J.B. Friday
  • The Ceratocytis fungus spreads throughout the sapwood or vascular system of the ʻōhiʻa, eventually strangling the tree. The dark staining in this cross-section of an ohia is a symptom of infection by the Ceratocytis fungus. Photo by J.B. Friday

Early detection, finding trees affected with ROD before the disease is widespread, is also key to protecting our ʻōhiʻa. Key signs include leaves that rapidly turning brown and appear frozen in place. On Maui, the only known ROD-affected tree was reported by an alert resident in Hāna. The tree has since been destroyed. The Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources surveys our ʻōhiʻa forests looking for symptomatic trees. Conservation crews and Maui residents can report ʻōhiʻa trees that appear to have died quickly. To date, residents have reported fourteen suspect trees over the last year. Though ʻōhiʻa die for many reasons, including drought, injuries from mowers or yard equipment, and herbicide, reporting is essential to finding ROD-damaged trees early. Fortunately, aside from the one tree, all other samples collected from Maui have tested negative for ROD. 

Help protect our ʻōhiʻa forests from rapid ʻōhiʻa death: Support watershed protection efforts to remove invasive plants and animals. Respect the inter-island quarantine. Keep reporting suspect ʻōhiʻa trees on Maui to MISC (573-6472) or through 643PEST.org. Join the ʻŌhiʻa Love Festival, November 16-21st. Sign up for the virtual event through rapidohiadeath.org.

Lissa Strohecker is the public relations and education specialist for the Maui Invasive Species Committee. She holds a biological sciences degree from Montana State University. Kia’i Moku, “Guarding the Island,” is prepared by the Maui Invasive Species Committee to provide information on protecting the island from invasive plants and animals that can threaten the island’s environment, economy, and quality of life.

This article was originally published in the Maui News on November 10, 2020 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles

Outreach and Education Update: October – December 2020

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Reaching out while staying physically distant has diversified MISC’s outreach methods and it hasn’t always meant more technology. In late September, MISC received a report of suspect ants; quick identifications and follow-up surveys confirmed our fears. Once we identified them as little fire ants, we needed to alert the community. Because Covid-19 prohibited community gatherings, MISC sent mailers throughout Ha‘ikū to alert neighbors to the new detection and to ask residents to collect ants from their yards. Over the next six weeks, nearly 40 residents mailed in samples – none of which turned out to be little fire ants. The community samples helped assure us that the new infestation covers a small area. The Kaupakalua report is not the first time that community reports have helped find and stop an LFA infestation– citizens have detected 11 of the 17 known populations on Maui.

Mailers alerted the Ha‘ikū community to the presence of little fire ants and concerned residents responded with nearly 40 samples of ants.

 Little fire ants are beyond control on Hawaiʻi Island which means the likelihood of new incursions remains a perpetual threat. The Invasive Species Committees (ISCs) throughout the state collaborate on an annual little fire ant awareness campaign, Stop the Ant Month. Through public service announcements, social media posts, and online interviews, the ISCs collaborated to encourage the public to help stop the spread of invasive ants. As long as infestations are found early before they have a chance to spread, we can keep little fire ants at bay. Learn more about LFA and collect samples from your yard. Visit: stoptheant.org.

Can you spot the ant? Finding invasive ants early is key to containing and eliminating them.

All presentations, workshops, and volunteer activities offered by outreach staff this quarter were virtual. In October, the Maui Mauka Conservation Awareness Training program offered two workshops. Featured guest speakers were Jenni Learned with the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project, who discussed seabird threats and protection efforts, and Keahi Bustamente with the Department of Land and Natural Resources presenting on native snails of Hawaiʻi and Maui. 

Ha‘ikū nurseryman Mark Blietz, the owner of Northshore Tropicals, received this year’s Mālama i ka ʻĀina award, which is jointly sponsored by the County of Maui, the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals, and MISC. Blietz is a well-known nursery owner who has led by example throughout his career, both in the landscaping community and throughout Maui. He and his family have been in the nursery business for over 30 years and throughout that time, he has been active locally in the Maui Orchid Society and nationally as a judge in the American Orchid Society. Blietz has been proactive in dealing with invasive species and urges others to do the same. When the stinging nettle caterpillar arrived in Maui in 2008, he started controlling it around his nursery himself to keep from spreading it – he continues to control invasive species, currently working to keep coqui and ivy gourd out of his nursery. Historically, the award is presented at the Arbor Day Maui Garden Expo, but due to the pandemic, the ceremony took place at his Ha‘ikū nursery. MISC filmed the event, which included presenting Blietz with a glass sculpture of an ʻiliahi (Hawaiian sandalwood) created by Jupiter Nielsen. You can view the presentation on MISC’s YouTube Channel here: https://youtu.be/uE-ffSzW1e0

Mark Blietz received the 2020 Mālama i ka ʻĀina award ceremony. From left to right: Mark Blietz of Northshore Topicals, Allison Wright of the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals, Adam Radford of MISC, Makaleʻa Ane of the County of Maui.

Through the Kiaʻi Moku column in the Maui News, MISC covered the following topics: different ant species such as the trap-jaw ant, red-imported fire ant, and little fire ant; research findings about efforts to address rapid ʻōhiʻa death; and the importance of dark skies to protect young seabirds from predators during the fledging season. Other media mentions referred to press releases about the new little fire ant infestation in Haʻikū and the community coqui control program. MISC’s LFA coordinator Brooke Mahnken and PR specialist Lissa Strohecker were interviewed by Catherine Cruz for Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s “The Conversation.” The discussion highlighted MISC’s efforts to treat the little fire ant infestation in Nāhiku by helicopter.

Through websites and social media outlets, MISC reached an estimated 31,844 people during October, November, and December. Stop the Ant Month activities and efforts to expand MISC’s following on social media helped drive strong online engagement with the public. Staff also increased efforts to connect through e-mail lists and social media. To stay up to date about MISC activities, sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

In November, MISC welcomed Serena Fukushima as MISC’s new public relations and education specialist. Born and raised on the island of Oʻahu, Serena moved to Maui in 2012. She helped support Haleakalā National Park’s internship program and then worked as the Nā Hua Ho‘ohuli i ka Pono internship program manager. Lissa Strohecker will be collaborating with Serena on MISC outreach projects over the next several months.

MISC will be offering virtual classroom presentations based on the Hōʻike o Haleakalā curriculum. If you are interested in having MISC as a guest speaker for your class, contact us at miscpr@hawaii.edu

You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

Other species updates from this quarter are below:

Early Detection Crew Update: October – December 2020

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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:

Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee Update: October – December 2020

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As the MoMISC field crew was conducting roadside surveys in south-central Molokai last December, they found a surprise: saplings of the invasive Ficus religiosa (Bo tree) sprouting from the crook of a mango tree. Because ficus can spread so readily, the crew conducted roadside surveys across hundreds of acres near this invasive fig. Good news – they found no other plants! Roadside surveys help with the early detection of pests and create an opportunity for community education and outreach.

  • Surveys on Molokai

Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) is now established in Kualapu’u, Ho’olehua, Pala’au, and more recently, Maunaloa. Previous to the December 2020 detection of BBTV, there had only been one other known occurrence of BBTV in the Kaunakakai/Kawela area and none so far in East Molokai. Banana aphids spread the disease from plant to plant, but the only way the virus can move long-distance is when people move plants. The best way to keep banana populations free of BBTV is to avoid transporting banana plants, plant parts, or planting materials from a known BBTV infestation to an area without BBTV. 

Other Molokai highlights include: 

Mule’s foot fern (Angiopteris evecta): Staff surveyed over 40 acres within the Molokai Forest Reserve area, controlling five mature and 13 immature plants. Known for its rounded trunk and gigantic leaves, mules’ foot fern is a pest species that MoMISC continues to monitor and control in the forests of Molokai. 

Quail bush (Atriplex lentiformis): The crew surveyed 1,310 acres of roadside from Maunaloa to Hālawa (nearly one end of the island to the other). These surveys resulted in zero detections — a promising sign that control efforts worked and the species is in decline. Quail bush is adaptive to various environments and habitat conditions. On Molokai, this species invades roadside areas across the island.

MoMISC crews plan to revisit the known rubber vine (Cryptostegia madagascariensis) sites across the island, removing any new or previously undetected plants. Staff will continue testing for little fire ants and monitoring coconut rhinoceros beetle traps at ports of entry. In preparation for the potential threat of coffee-leaf rust (recently detected on Maui), crews will compile archived data and collect information on populations of wild coffee on Molokai.

  • Quail bush is a roadside pest on Molokai. The MoMISC crew surveyed 1,310 acres of roadside looking for this plant with no detections!

You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

Other species updates from this quarter are below:

Hāna Plant Crew Update: October – December 2020

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The Hāna crew focused on protecting the East Maui Watershed by seeking out and removing miconia plants. A short-term crew assisted with work in East Maui. The additional crew of six brought the Hāna team to 12, the largest the crew has been in years. They focused on removing plants along roadways, including the Hāna Highway. Miconia seeds may be accidentally spread by passing cars or in soil along these corridors. Additionally, they worked to protect upper elevation watersheds and responded to new reports. Overall, the Hāna team removed more than 500 mature miconia plants and almost 9,000 immature plants across nearly 400 acres.

  • Hiking through the bushes searching for miconia is hard work with scenic views.

It wasn’t just reports of miconia that the crew followed up on – in December they received three coqui frog reports.  Luckily, no coqui were found and the Hāna and Ke’anae community continue to be coqui-free. The Hāna miconia crew helped clear access trails for little fire ant work in the Ka’elekū area and Twin Falls. These trails allow staff to thoroughly survey for the evasive ant.

You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

Other species updates from this quarter are below:

Pāʻia Plant Crew Update: October – December 2020

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In mid-October, the Pāʻia-based plant crew wrapped up another season of helicopter seek and destroy missions to remove the invasive ornamental pampas grass. The pampas season typically begins in April. Since then, the crew has searched 10,560 acres and taken out 1,330 plants. In doing so, they are preventing this highly invasive grass from spreading into the native forests of East and West Maui. The plant crew also continued to make progress on eradicating the Puʻu o Kali fountain grass site. When MISC staff first visited the site, they found hundreds of plants; on the most recent survey, only seven mature plants remained.

  • Can you spot the pampas grass? Aerial helicopter surveys allow the crew to find these invasive grasses and remove them on the steep mountain slopes of West Maui and remote areas of East Maui.

Both pampas grass and fountain grass promote wildfire and overtake habitats that were once dominated by native species.  On Hawaiʻi Island, fountain grass is rampant and beyond eradication, but in Maui County, only scattered infestations have sprung up, sometimes arriving via contaminated soil, sometimes unwittingly planted.  Currently, the only known fountain grass populations are in Pu’u o Kali, with the crew regularly returning to remove any seedlings. The crew continued work on an ivy gourd population in Waiheʻe, at one of the few sites where this aggressive vine has taken root outside of residential yards or golf courses. Removal efforts are proving successful.

  • Fountain grass is an invasive, drought-tolerant pest rarely found on Maui.
  • In Puʻu o Kali, the fountain grass population is down to a few plants. When found, there were thousands of plants.

MISC continues to be the lead response agency for community reports of dead ‘ōhi‘a trees that may have been killed by rapid ‘ōhi‘a death. During the fall quarter, plant crew supervisor Mike Ade responded to three reports and collected samples for testing by the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in Hilo. All tests came back negative for rapid ‘ōhi‘a death. Please continue to report any ‘ōhi‘a showing ROD symptoms: sudden browning or “wilting” of leaves that may spread throughout and kill the tree within weeks. Read more at rapidohiadeath.org, and report suspected sightings by phone, 808-573-6472, or online at 64PEST.org

  • The community report of an ʻōhiʻa tree showing signs of ROD (rapidly browning leaves), led to the detection and containment of ROD on Maui. MISC responded to three reports of ROD – all samples came back negative.

MISC said “Aloha” to Keli’i Dias, who joined the plant crew in 2014.  Keli’i is continuing his career in conservation, joining the East Maui Watershed Partnership as the Field Crew Supervisor. He will be missed!

You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

Other species updates from this quarter are below:

Little Fire Ant Crew Update: October – December 2020

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The final quarter of 2020 was relatively typical for the LFA battle on Maui. No new infestations were discovered or reported so the team focused on existing sites. Following a year of treatments at two of the most extensive infestations – Twin Falls and Waiheʻe Valley – MISC did full-site surveys in December. During these surveys, staff dropped over a thousand vials baited with peanut butter every few feet throughout each location. We detected a few “hot spots,” which is normal at this stage of control, and the crew will zero in on those areas over the next three months to stamp out remaining pockets. In addition to the large and complicated site in Nāhiku (200 acres of wet jungle), only one other site remains under full treatment: the recently discovered Kaupakalua infestation in Haʻikū, which was detected in September 2020. Community reports of stinging ants, combined with the LFA crew’s hard work and dedication, are clearly paying off.

  • Full-site surveys, where staff drop peanut-butter baited vials every few feet, identify “hot spots” and ensure treatments are effective.

In November, the crew completed a full-site aerial treatment of the Nāhiku infestation. Four more treatments will follow in the first few months of 2021. After we finish this series of treatments, MISC will conduct a week-long survey – with staff from all of MISC’s field crews carefully searching the densely vegetated 200-acre site for any stubborn hot spots.

  • MISC continues with helicopter applications of ant birth control to treat the 200-acre infestation of little fire ants in the dense jungle of Nāhiku.

Elsewhere on Maui, the crew continued monitoring sites in post-treatment to ensure these locations are LFA-free. Staff completed full-site surveys at formerly-infested sites at Kapalua, Lilikoʻi, Kaʻelekū, a resort in Wailea, and a nursery in Kīhei – at all but the Kaʻelekū site there were zero detections of LFA. The Hāna miconia crew helped clear access trails in the Kaʻelekū area and Twin Falls to allow staff to thoroughly survey for the elusive ant.

Public outreach efforts in the Haʻikū area after the discovery of LFA at a site on Kaupakalua Road resulted in a record outpouring of ant samples submitted by members of the public wanting to know if the ants in their Haʻikū yards might also be LFA. Fortunately, none of these samples contained LFA. MISC continues to appreciate high levels of awareness and participation by the community throughout the island.

    You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

    Other species updates from this quarter are below:

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    Contact Us

    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
    Report a Pest Online