Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

The little fire ant (LFA) has been detected in the Twin Falls area, Huelo, Maui.

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An infestation of little fire ants (LFA) has been detected at an area known as Twin Falls, in Huelo, East Maui.  The infestation was reported in early November, by both an area resident living within the infested zone and a former employee of the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) who had been stung while visiting the popular hiking and swimming site off the Hana Highway.

  • Do not remove anything from a known infestation to avoid spreading little fire ants. MISC file photo
  • Little fire ants easily fall off overhanging vegetation. Stings on the neck and torso can indicate the presence of this invasive ant. MISC file photo.
  • Little fire ants, Wasmannia auropunctata, on a penny. Photo by Zach Pezzillo
    Little fire ants, Wasmannia auropunctata, on a penny. Photo by Zach Pezzillo.
  • A little fire ants, Wasmannia auropunctata, on the tip of an index finger. Photo by Zach Pezzillo.
    A little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, on the tip of an index finger. Photo by Zach Pezzillo.

On Hawaii Island, residents and visitors have abandoned popular trails and waterfall hikes because of the rain of stinging ants that fall on them as they pass through overhanging vegetation.

On November 14th, two dozen people – both local residents and community members from elsewhere on Maui, worked with MISC and Hawaii Department of Agriculture personnel to place and collect samples to determine the size and spread of the infestation.

At approximately eight acres, the infestation encompasses several homes and some areas frequented by hikers and swimmers. Samples collected downstream from the core of the infestation have little fire ants – additional survey work will determine if the ants have spread along the waterway.

This find marks the third detection of the year on Maui, consistent with the trend of detecting two to three little fire ant populations each year. “We are fortunate to have strong community awareness – public reporting of little fire ants continues to be the most effective way to find populations,” says Adam Radford, MISC manager. MISC is actively treating ten populations of little fire ants.

Thanks to funding from Maui County and the Hawaii Invasive Species Council the LFA response team is expanding by two to address this growing problem. MISC continues to partner with Maui HDOA staff in following up on reports and treatment efforts from Kapalua to Hana.  The most important part of successful containment is community participation.

“If we are to keep little fire ants from becoming established, we need to find the populations early while they are still small – – we need the community to remain vigilant, actively checking for little fire ants whenever new material (potted plants, mulch, or anything stored outside) is introduced to their homes and reporting suspected populations of little fire ants early on. We know new populations will continue to be discovered, and we’re prepared for that, we’ve been highly successful at removal throughout Maui,” says Radford.

There will be a community meeting on Thursday, December 5th, at 6:00 pm at the Haiku Community Center to discuss what is known about the Twin Falls little fire ant infestation and plans for eradication.

Visit stoptheant.org to find out more information on collecting samples of ants and the status of LFA on Maui and throughout the state.  Suspected populations of little fire ants can be reported to the Maui Branch of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture at 808-873-3080, or the Maui Invasive Species Committee at 808-573-6472.

PDF link: Press-Release-Little-Fire-Ants-Twin-Falls_112719.pdf

Perils of pampas on West Maui Mountains

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Steve Perlman examining invasive pampas grass in Kauaʻula Valley. — MISC file photo

With plumes that bring to mind ostrich feathers, pampas grass first became popular in the Victorian era. Fluffy seed heads decorated the most fashionable hats, homes, even carriages. Interest surged again in the mid-1960s and the plant became a fixture in some yards and golf courses on Maui.

Today, pampas is taking over Instagram feeds: the plumes are used to add a Bohemian/Southwestern flavor to wedding bouquets, centerpieces, and home décor. But here on Maui, this ornamental grass is associated with a different trend: loss of habitat for threatened and endangered species and destruction of the watershed.

“But here on Maui, this ornamental grass is associated with a different trend: loss of habitat for threatened and endangered species and destruction of the watershed.”

Pampas can grow on nearly vertical slopes, displacing native plants that support populations of threatened and endangered animals and disrupting watershed function. With seeds that can travel 20 miles in the wind, ornamental plantings can infest far away forests. — MISC file photo

Pampas is a clumping bunchgrass native to South America. The leaves are razor-sharp, dying back each year but leaving dry foliage that accumulates and can fuel wildfires. The decorative plume is the seed-head and a single plant can spread millions of tiny seeds on the wind – in some cases, as far as 20 miles. Seeds germinate readily on bare soil, but with enough moisture, the invader finds footholds in patches of moss or tree bark. The plant competes with native vegetation and could replace habitat and food resources used by native birds and in doing so disrupting the layered structure of the rainforest so important for aquifer recharge.  

This grass knows no limits – it has been found growing from sea-level to the rim of Haleakalā Crater at 9000 feet. Water, or lack thereof, doesn’t seem to be a key determinant for where pampas lives. It will (and does) grow in the wettest rainforests and on the driest hillsides, often emerging in rain-drenched bogs and wind-scoured cinder slopes.

Pampas grass has been a target for eradication on Maui since the mid-1990s when staff from Haleakalā National Park started finding feathery plumes in the crater. MISC has been working to stop pampas since the inception of the program. Through continued control efforts, the East Maui population has been in steady decline but without consistent support and control efforts, progress could stall.

MISC employee scoping out pampas. Invasive plants don’t always grow in easily accessible areas. The slopes of West Maui are so steep that efforts to remove plants like pampas grass necessitate the use of helicopters. — MISC file photo

The West Maui pampas population has always presented challenges. Much of the difficulty lies in the rugged terrain and weather, limiting access for much of the year. On East Maui, crews can access much of the known pampas infestation by timing helicopter flights early in the day and camping and hiking to access plants from the ground, but the slopes of the West Maui Mountains are more vertical than anywhere else in Maui, affording few camping sites and making ground access difficult or impossible. Pampas, on the other hand, thrives on the bare soil of the erosion-prone slopes. When that happens, our crews depend on helicopters to seek out and remove the invader.

Thanks to funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, MISC crews have been scouring the cliff faces of West Maui over the last year. They are looking for pampas plumes and the tell-tale growth pattern of the plant before it goes into flower. If they find the plant, they record the location by on a GPS and then return by helicopter but this time loaded down with an external tank and 80’ long line and weighted sprayer attached. This allows the pilot and crew to hold hover over the plant and remotely trigger a tiny spray of herbicide directly to the grass below.

Despite nearly constant rescheduling of flights due to weather or a need for the helicopters to go fight a brush fire, crews have flown over 15,000 acres on West Maui from 2017 to the summer of 2019. This coverage has led to the detection and removal of nearly 1,900 pampas plants from the mountain slopes– a huge leap forward in the effort to stop this invader from taking over prime habitat for native birds, plants, and invertebrates.

You can help. First, become familiar with what pampas grass looks like (mauiinvasive.org/pampas/). Second, never plant pampas grass or import it for décor or floral arrangements. The Division of Forestry and Wildlife has designated pampas as one of Hawaiʻis most invasive horticultural plants. Finally, report any pampas grass you find. You can report it to MISC: 573-6472, miscpr@hawaii.edu, or online at 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 14th, 2019 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles.

Finding pests early helps to protect unique places like Lānaʻi

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Crew from Pūlama Lānaʻi and MISC partner to find the few invasive fountain grass plants present on Lānaʻi before they become a problem. Photo courtesy of Kari Bogner.

If you travel between the Hawaiian Islands you know that each Island is unique, in traditions and food, expressions and customs. Plants and animals vary also – both the native plants and animals as well as the invasive species that plague each island. Mongoose are not established on Lānaʻi or Kauaʻi. Miconia has never been found on Molokai.  These differences reflect where pest species were introduced as well as the efforts to stop them.

On the island of Lānaʻi, Kari Bogner, Botany Program Manager with the Pūlama Lānaʻi Conservation Department, is tackling the eradication efforts of a half-dozen invasive plants that have been declared as lost causes on other Hawaiian Islands. Among them are parthenium, a weedy herb in the aster family; fountain grass, a fire-adapted grass from South America; and ivy-gourd, an invasive vine in the cucumber family. “I’m optimistic,” she says, “we’re making a lot of headway with these species.”

Eradicating a plant taxes the perseverance of even the most dedicated. Pulling, cutting, and digging is instantly gratifying, but returning week after week, month after month, searching for seedlings and waiting for the seed bank to be exhausted takes a toll on patience and budgets. The effort is essential – if a plant is missed and goes to seed, it starts the whole process starts again over. If those seeds are spread unnoticed, the setback is even greater.

In March of 2015, Maui-based botanist Hank Oppenheimer noticed a familiar weed outside of Lānaʻi City.  It was the first time he had seen the pasture weed Parthenium hysterophorus (False ragweed) on Lānaʻi, but knew from his experience on Maui how invasive it was. Parthenium is native to the southern United States and Mexico. It is listed as one of the 100 worst invasive weeds in the world by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Tiny seeds are carried unnoticed as people move cargo, animals, and soil long distances. Consequently, the pest has invaded 45 countries.

Parthenium takes over cropland and pasture, causing losses in the millions in Australia alone. The plant can inhibit the germination of other species – a survival strategy called allelopathy. This super-weed is not only poisonous to other plants–if it has invaded pasture, animals can be poisoned. Incidences of hay fever in humans also increase once parthenium invades.

False ragweed or Parthenium hysterophorus is too widespread to eradicate on Maui, but early detection efforts on Lānaʻi have contained the plant. Photo courtesy of Kari Bogner.

On Maui, parthenium is too widespread to eradicate, but on Lānaʻi, the pest is only known from one location. A five-person Pūlama Lānaʻi crew removed the plant from six acres. The weed can produce seed within four weeks of germinating so Bogner and Jerome Sunio, biosecurity tech with Pūlama Lānaʻi, return to check the site every 10-12 days to stay ahead of the seed cycle. She hopes to exhaust the seed bank soon – not a small task given that a single plant can produce 15,000 seeds. She has not found a seeding plant since April of 2018.

Fountain grass is also conspicuously absent on the pineapple island and not by accident.  The invasive bunchgrass is widespread on the Kona side of Hawaiʻi Island, covering acres of lava and fueling wildfires that destroy native dryland forests and threaten homes.  But on Lānaʻi, there are only a handful of places fountain grass has been found; crews from the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) spent years seeking out and removing the ecosystem modifying weed and now Bogner and Sunio scour the last known site every two months looking for seedlings. This weed is also a MISC target for eradication on Maui and is not known from Molokai.

Spreading out across the hillside, crews form sweep line, searching for invasive fountain grass on on Lānaʻi. Fountain grass is a fire-promoting pest present on Hawai’i Island. Photo courtesy of Kari Bogner.

Ivy gourd is yet another Lānaʻi success story. The drought-tolerant vine from Southeast Asia threatens dryland forests and coastlines.  The vine is beyond containment efforts on Hawaiʻi Island and Oʻahu. MISC controls it on Maui; it is not known to be on Molokai. On Lānaʻi, MISC found the fast-growing climber in a greenhouse, and seeds were inadvertently spread in potting soil throughout the Mānele area. After battling the climbing vine in bougainvillea and other plants, Bogner’s efforts to eliminate it are proving fruitful – or rather an absence of fruit – she hasn’t found a seeding plant since last year.

You can help. If you are on Lānaʻi, contact Bogner and Pūlama Lānaʻi at 565-3683 if you see parthenium, fountain grass, ivy gourd or anything new and unusual.  If you travel back and forth, make sure your gear is clean and free of weed seeds and dirt that could spread pests interisland.

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 October 12th, 2019 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles.

Know a landscaper helping prevent the spread of invasive species? Nominate him/her for the 2019 Mālama i ka ʻĀina Award

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The Mālama i ka ʻĀina recognizes the proactive efforts of those working within the landscape community to address the threat of invasive species. The award is sponsored and presented by the County of Maui (Rob Parsons -L), the Maui Invasive Species Committee (Adam Radford), and the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals (Allison Wright). Also pictured is the 2018 recipient, Anna Palamino, owner of Hoʻolawa Farms (holding award), and past awardee Martha Vockrodt-Moran of D.T. Fleming Arboretum on far right.

Nominations are now being accepted to honor invasive species prevention efforts within Maui County.  The Malama i ka Aina Award is presented annually to a landscaper, plant provider (retail and wholesale nurseries and garden shops), or commercial/agricultural property owner/manager to recognize their efforts to keep invasive species out of Maui County.

The award is a cooperative effort of the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals, the Maui Invasive Species Committee, and the County of Maui.

  • The 2018 award featured a sculpture of an iʻiwi feeding on an endangered koliʻi by glass artist Jupiter Nielsen

The winner will be announced Saturday, November 2nd at the Arbor Day Garden Expo and Hawaiian Tree Giveaway at the Maui Nui Botanical Garden. The winner will receive a plaque, a glass sculpture by artist Jupiter Nielsen, a one-year free membership with the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals and local media recognition.

Applicants are requested to explain how the nominee’s activities or decisions have contributed to keeping Maui free from invasive species. Examples include: not selling or using invasive plants, steps taken to learn about invasives, and efforts to reduce the use of invasive species by customers.

Applications are due by Friday, October 18th, 2019 and are available on the event website, www.arbordayexpo.com or here: 2019 Malama i ka Aina Award Nomination Form. You may submit completed nominations via  email to miscpr@hawaii.edu, fax to 573-6475, or mail to MISC at P.O. Box 983, Makawao, HI 96768. There is no fee to apply. Self-nominations are welcome.  For more information, call 573-MISC (6472), or e-mail miscpr@hawaii.edu. Past Malama i ka Aina Award recipients were recognized for meaningful steps taken to prevent the spread of invasive species, including incorporating codes-of-conduct in business practices, educating the public and clients about invasive species, and encouraging the use of native species in landscape design. Actions of award recipients are steps in the right direction!

Hotels and resorts partner in effort to eradicate LFA

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Elaine Malina works for SGS Hawaii and is the landscape manager at the Andaz in Kihei. The Andaz is one of the Maui resorts that has pledged to help stop the little fire ant from spreading on Maui. — Maui Invasive Species Committee photo

Across Maui, there are hundreds of people already looking for small pests every day but they aren’t state inspectors or invasive species workers. Rather they include the groundskeepers and landscaping teams that keep resort and hotel grounds looking their best. They work with trees, plants, soil, and flowers–some of which may have been imported from LFA-infested areas elsewhere in Hawaiʻi.

Little Fire Ants (LFA) were first introduced as hitchhikers on imported plants where they prefer moist conditions on the ground as well as in trees as spotted here. — Masako Cordray photo

To the unaided eye, a little fire ant (LFA) is not much more than a speck of dust. At 2 mm long – the size of a number on a penny — these tiny ants often go unnoticed until colonies become so large that humans and animals encounter a barrage of stings. The ants are present, but not widespread on Maui. But experts suspect other colonies may exist and, despite the heroic efforts of our agricultural inspectors, occasionally pests slip through our quarantine system. Finding little fire ants early is essential for eradication, but therein lies the challenge: how do you find what is nearly unfindable?

Finding little fire ants early is essential for eradication, but therein lies the challenge: how do you find what is nearly unfindable?

Thanks to the Aloha ʻĀina program of the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, these groundskeepers, and the hotels where they work, are joining the effort to stop little fire ants from taking over our island.

Experts with the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab and Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture, along with members of the landscape industry, provided insight into the most effective ways to prevent little fire ants from reaching hotel and resort properties.  Surveys with industry representatives highlighted information gaps: many landscapers don’t know what little fire ants look like.

Based on that discovery, MISC created the Little Fire Ant Prevention Partner program to train staff on basic ant identification and encourage hotels to adopt best management practices to ensure early detection of little fire ants. To become a partner in the program, a business agrees to implement a training program for landscaping crews on little fire ants. Each participating business pledges to incorporate either an annual test of their property for little fire ants or to test incoming plant materials and soil. These steps will help ensure that hotels and resorts remain little-fire-ant free.

Domingo Cravalho, an invasive species biologist, puts peanut butter on a wooden stick before placing it in moist areas around plants for the surveillance of LFAʻs. — U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo

Participating businesses receive a poster showing how to identify common ants on Maui and little fire ants and a kit with supplies for testing – peanut butter, wooden sticks, labels and envelopes for submitting samples.

MISC has also searched 55 hotels and condominiums on Maui for little fire ants with an impressive result: no little fire ant populations detected. This positive news means Maui still has a chance to keep our island from being terrorized by one of the world’s worst invasive species.

The Maui Invasive Species Committee is continuing to roll out a program for hotels and resorts and the benefits could be far-reaching. “By sharing information with hotels and employees, this can make a difference in our communities and to our ʻāina,” says Elaine Malina, Landscape Manager at the Andaz, a Little Fire Ant Prevention Partners.  

A list of participating Little Fire Ant Prevention Partners will be regularly updated at http://mauiinvasive.org/lfa-prevention-partner/. The ant-identification poster is also available online. For the current status of little fire ant populations on Maui, visit 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.

This article was originally published in the Maui News on April 14th, 2019 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles

Plan exists to enhance biosecurity among Hawaiian Islands

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Inspector checking goods to protect Hawaii from invasive pests. — Masako Cordray photo

Hawaiʻi has been called the “invasive species capital of the world” thanks to the amount and type of harmful species coming in, according to Josh Atwood, Coordinator of the statewide Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council.

Many of Hawaiʻi’s troublemakers were introduced over a hundred years ago – strawberry guava and mosquitos, for example—but the arrival of unwelcome guests is hardly a problem of the past. The Ceratocystis fungi, which causes Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, is spreading like wildfire across Hawaiʻi Island and has since been detected on Kauaʻi; and the coconut rhinoceros beetle, which has wiped out many coconut palms on Guam, is now on Oʻahu. These invaders showed up within the last 10-15 years.

To stop the continued influx of detrimental species and ramp up efforts to address those already present, the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA) collaborated with the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council to create the first Hawaiʻi Interagency Biosecurity Plan. Launched in 2017, the plan identifies 154 actions needed to improve our biosecurity–with a focus on increased collaboration among agencies and outlining funding needs over a ten-year time span.

The biosecurity plan takes a comprehensive approach to the challenge by
1) incorporating pre-border policies and processes, such as inspecting cargo bound for Hawaiʻi before it departs,
2) including efforts at the border, such as improved inspection facilities on all islands and increased staffing levels at points of entry; and
3) enhanced capacity to detect and respond to pests if they do arrive in the state, including preventing their movement between islands.

The plan focuses on biosecurity functions, rather than targeting specific species, but Atwood describes how the biosecurity plan could help address one of the biggest threats to our state. “Eight brown tree snakes have already made it to Hawaiʻi. Most of those interceptions happened once planes had landed.”

“If you don’t increase capacity — people looking for pests— some of these species will slip through,” Atwood says.

The plan took a year to write and is designed to be implemented over 10 years. Atwood credits the existing network of dedicated individuals already working on biosecurity. “The key step was identifying the most important gaps and then finding solutions, Atwood explains.  

Legislative support and approval are key to implementing the plan and Atwood is encouraged by the results so far: one-half of the actions in the plan have been initiated since 2017. But the capacity to complete those and some of the more challenging tasks requires increased staffing, which requires funding. In recent years, the legislature has allocated less than one-half a percent (0.4%) of the State’s budget to HDOA; DLNR, which is also tasked with protecting natural resources from invasive species and other threats, received only one percent (1%) of the budget.

“We need to do anything we can to save native species, grow our own food, and live meaningful lives here in Hawaiʻi.” Atwood says.

“At level funding, we can anticipate more invasive species establishing in Hawaiʻi, and control costs will continue to increase,” says Atwood. He views the plan as an essential step in moving forward. “We need to do anything we can to save native species, grow our own food, and live meaningful lives here in Hawaiʻi.” If you would like to learn more about the Hawaiʻi Interagency Biosecurity Plan including summaries and updates, you can find the complete plan online at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/plans/hibp/.

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 May 12th, 2019 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles

Damage to māmaki plant by moth highlights need for biosecurity

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The caterpillar of the ramie moth can be identified by its coloration — black with orange dots and white hairs — as well as its behavior — it “hisses” when approached. Report sightings to 643PEST.org. — Department of Land and Natural Resources photo

Last October, Keahi Bustamente was looking for rare snails in Olowalu Valley when he noticed a māmaki plant showing signs that something had been eating it. A quick look revealed the culprit was a black caterpillar. He plucked the unfamiliar insect in hopes he had found something new – perhaps a native species. Bustamente is an invertebrate biologist with the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit. He works with the Department of Land and Natural Resources and spends his days scouring the forests for native land snails.

He couldn’t identify the larva and started asking colleagues on Maui and Oʻahu. An entomologist on Oʻahu guessed that it was from a ramie moth, never before found in Hawaiʻi, but to confirm the identification, Bustamente had to raise the caterpillar to the adult moth stage. A brown and black moth with a 3-inch wingspan emerged – it was indeed the ramie moth.

This new moth, Arcte coerula, is native to the Philippines and dines on plants in the nettle family (Urticaceae). The moth is large and a strong flyer, but it most likely arrives on our shores as a hitchhiker. Uninvited, this interloper is now munching its way through māmaki in our forests.

Māmaki is traditionally used in Hawaiian culture for medicinal tea and cordage. Increasing interest in the plant has led it being grown commercially for tea. In the forest, māmaki serves to stabilize streambanks. Māmaki supports over a dozen species of native insects, including leaf miners, moths, and beetles, and the Kamehameha Butterfly, which is reliant on māmaki.

Māmaki supports over a dozen species of native insects [that are] reliant on the plant itself. — Department of Land and Natural Resources photo

It’s not just māmaki that is at risk. The caterpillar of the ramie moth has been found on other plants related to māmaki, including maʻaloa (Neraumdia sericea), an endangered plant on the verge of extinction.

A few weeks after the Bustamente found the caterpillar in Olowalu, a native-plant grower reported finding it in Olinda and ʻUlupalakua; sightings from Waiehu, ʻĪao Valley and the mountains of West Maui soon followed. It quickly became apparent that the ramie moth was already too widespread to be removed from Maui.

The ramie moth is only the latest in a host of pest insects. Every year, over a dozen new insects arrive in Hawaiʻi. Some turn out to be serious invaders forever altering life in the islands. Little fire ants, coconut rhinoceros beetle, varroa mite, coffee berry borer, and naio thrip are recent examples. These troublemakers threaten native plants and animals, the function of our environment, our relationship with nature. Once established, they impact cultural practices, recreation and the livelihoods of the residents of Hawaiʻi, jeopardizing tourism and agriculture.

“At any point, some new plant or animal can come in and forever change Hawaiian ecosystems in a way we can never recover,” says Bustamente.

The arrival of yet another pest highlights the need for increased prevention efforts. The Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council in cooperation with state and federal agencies developed the Hawaiʻi Interagency Biosecurity Plan. The plan lays out specific steps needed to improve biosecurity in Hawaiʻi. The plan needs legislative support and funding to be implemented.

It’s still too early to tell what the impacts of the ramie moth will be, but Bustamente and others are concerned.  “The caterpillar can hammer a māmaki plant,” says Bustamente, who has found over 100 individuals on a single plant. Even though it’s unlikely all will survive to adulthood, it’s during their caterpillar stage that they damage māmaki.  

If you have māmaki or other nettle-family plants in your yard, be alert to the threat of the ramie moth. Look for a black caterpillar (sometimes yellow) with bright orange spots and white hairs. Be careful not to confuse the ramie moth with the native Kamehameha caterpillar. The Kamehameha caterpillar is green for most of its life but is black immediately after hatching. The behavior differs as well – the ramie moth caterpillar rears up and spits to defend itself. Report sightings to the statewide pest hotline, either by phone: 643-6245 or online: 643PEST.org. You can learn more about plans to improve Hawaiʻiʻs protection against the arrival of new pests at the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council’s website: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/plans/hibp/

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 July 13th, 2019 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles.

Sap-sucking insect threatens native naio trees

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While it may look healthy at first glance, this young naio plant is under attack from a tiny invasive sap-sucking insect known as the naio thrip. Initial symptoms are a crumpling effect on newly sprouted leaves. The pest is currently known only from O’ahu and Hawaiʻi Island — OISC file photo.

From Maui’s coastlines to our mountain slopes, the naio tree provides shelter for native animals and helps prevent erosion. Naio is a shape-shifter: it can be a crawling prostrate shrub or an 80-foot tall towering tree. Itʻs versatile and adaptable. Along the shore, naio plants easily withstand the constant salt spray. At the top of Haleakalā, these indigenous plants endure bracing cold and wind. But the hardy naio trees of Hawaiʻi are at risk from a minuscule, sap-sucking insect, the naio thrip.

At 1/20th of an inch, about the size of the comma in this sentence, the naio thrip is so tiny it is easily overlooked, but can wreak havoc on naio trees. Within four hours of a thrip beginning to feed on a naio plant, the munched leaf will start to curl. After months of feeding, the plant becomes misshapen and crumpled. Eventually, the thrips will kill naio trees. Young plants are particularly vulnerable.

A young naio plant shows early symptoms of naio thrip infestation – curling and discoloration to the new leaves. — OISC file photo.

The minute thrips were initially found on Hawaiʻi Island in 2008. Infestations there werenʻt found soon enough and many stands of naio have since perished. Resource managers knew it was only a matter of time before the pest spread. To reduce the risk to naio elsewhere, the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture implemented a quarantine on naio, prohibiting the movement of the plant from Hawaiʻi Island. Resource managers statewide collaborated on early detection and rapid-response plans specific to each island, recognizing the likelihood that these insect pests could spread throughout the island chain.

So in November 2018, when a native-plant enthusiast on Oʻahu saw strange galls and crumpling on new growth of a naio, and posted a photo online, the response team was prepared for action. Rachel Neville, manager of the Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee (OISC), reports that the survey team had inspected 619 naio plants within a month of the post.

A size comparison of the naio thrip to a thumb. An early detection and rapid response plan in place on Oahu has guided containment efforts after the pest arrived there in November of 2018. — Oahu Invasive Species Committee photo.

“Having a rapid response plan for this detection was so helpful. We had a list of naio that should be checked island-wide and all the agencies and landowners came together to help delimit. We were able to determine the extent of the infestation in one week, which meant treatment got underway very quickly,” says Neville. During island-wide surveys, the response team (including staff from a half-dozen resource management programs) found only 42 infested plants, all of which were in urban settings, isolated from natural areas and wild populations. All infected plants have been treated and the survey team is continuing to check naio for signs of thrips. Citizen scientists are helping by submitting photos through the OISC Adopt-a-Naio program.

Naio thrips have yet to be found on the Valley Isle. The Maui County Early Detection and Rapid Response plan, developed by eight resource-management and protection organizations, calls for monitoring over 30 naio populations across Maui, all of which were thrips-free as of February 2019. The surveys are repeated every six months.

You can help. If you have naio in your yard, or know where there are some, check them regularly for signs of thrips: crumpling and curling leaves.  Find out more about naio thrips and the Maui County Early Detection and Rapid Response Plan online at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/info/invasive-species-profiles/naio-thrips/

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 March 10th, 2019 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles.

Press release 9/23/19: New infestation of little fire ants found in Waihee Valley

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Little Fire Ants on a hibiscus flower in Waihee Valley. MISC file photo

In late August 2019, a Waihee Valley resident called the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) to report stinging ants. She feared they were little fire ants (LFA) after being stung on her neck and under her collar while working near fruit trees. Staff from MISC contacted the resident and arranged a site visit to investigate the report. The ants were identified under a microscope as little fire ants or Wasmannia auropunctata.

The next day, a team from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) and MISC conducted surveys in the area, which is adjacent to the Waihee River. Initial surveys indicate that LFA are present on three properties. The infestation is estimated to cover four to five acres, mostly in overgrown vegetation and away from homes. Little fire ants were detected next to the river, raising concerns that the ants may have moved downstream; however, preliminary riverside surveys below the infestation zone did not detect any LFA.

Area residents who have encountered stinging ants—particularly those who have been stung on their neck and upper body after working with or under vegetation – are urged to report suspect ants by contacting either the Maui Invasive Species Committee at 573-MISC (6472), the Hawaii Department of Agriculture on Maui at 873-3080, or online at 643PEST.org.

LFA on a coconut. Multiple colonies can live within a coconut and simply the act of moving a coconut, mulch, or anything stored outside can spread an infestation to a new area. MISC file photo

This infestation is the fourteenth detection of little fire ants on the Valley Isle since 2009 and the second detection of LFA on Maui this year, following the April detection in the Happy Valley neighborhood of Wailuku. MISC is actively treating five sites; the Waihee Valley site will be the sixth. After undergoing a rigorous treatment regimen, little fire ants are thought to be eliminated from other sites, though MISC continues to survey to ensure they are gone. 

The source of the infestation is unknown at this time and there is no known connection between this one and a previously-infested site at a farm in Waihee. Based on the size of the new infestation, experts estimate little fire ants have been present for five or more years.  

The little fire ant has been called one of the 100 worst invasive species globally (IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group). They were first detected on Hawaii Island in 1999 and Maui in 2009. Little fire ants reach incredible densities (80 million ants per acre) and outcompete many other insects and small vertebrates. LFA live in trees as well as on the ground. People often discover the ants by brushing against heavily-infested bushes or in windy conditions when the ants fall off plants or trees. Unsuspecting victims of the “ant rain” are left with painful stings and animals can be blinded. On Hawai‘i Island, little fire ants are now widespread. People describe being at their “wit’s end” and unable to take their keiki to the places they learned to fish, hunt, surf, and hike. Left unchecked, this species will affect Maui’s environment, and agriculture, and forever change our quality of life.

There will be a community meeting on Wednesday, October 9th at 6 pm at the Waihee Elementary School. Officials from MISC and HDOA will share information on the threat of little fire ants, the current status of Maui’s infestations, the plan for treatment, and community efforts to prevent the spread. Learn more about LFA, including how to collect samples, at www.stoptheant.org

Contact:               Lissa Strohecker, Public Relations and Education Specialist                                Brooke Mahnken, LFA Coordinator
                               Adam Radford, MISC Manager 
                               Maui Invasive Species Committee
                               PH:  (808) 573-6472

                                Email: miscpr@hawaii.edu

  • Little fire ants on the stem of a hibiscus flower. MISC file photo.
  • LFA are attracted to peanut butter. Baiting a chopstick with peanut butter and returning after 45 minutes to pick it up is one way to sample your yard for little fire ants and other species. Find instructions at http://stoptheant.org/report-little-fire-ants/ MISC file photo.

Invasive longhorned beetle bores into fruit trees, threatening crops

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Large beetles have begun to spread across Puna but have not yet been detected on other islands. They pose a threat to fruit growers on the island and throughout Hawaii. Native to Queensland, the Acalolepta aesthetica, longhorned beetles are dimpled and fuzzy on their abdomens. — Photo courtesy of Big Island Invasive Species Committee.

In 2009, a resident of Orchidland subdivision in Puna on Hawaiʻi Island found a strange beetle with extremely long antennae on the screen door. This report marked the first detection of a new species of longhorned beetle, Acalolepta aesthetica, in Hawaiʻi and the United States. Lacking an official common name, the beetle is called the Queensland longhorn beetle, reflecting its native home in Australia.

Despite survey efforts by the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture, the beetle wasn’t detected again for years, but that first incursion wasn’t a one-off and its population continued to grow. Four years later it was seen again. Sightings increased as the beetles spread across Puna. Over the last 3 months, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee has received over a dozen reports.  

The arrival of this new insect has officials with the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA) concerned. According to HDOA entomologist Darcy Oishi, the Queensland longhorned beetle could significantly damage citrus and other trees.  The larvae tunnel through living wood creating big galleries, similar to termites, but on a much bigger scale. Oishi says, “They make these giant weeping wounds in branches or the trunk of a tree. The damage can cause dieback in a limb or the death of a tree.”

“They make these giant weeping wounds in branches or the trunk of a tree. The damage can cause dieback in a limb or the death of a tree,” says Oishi.

Not much known about this beetle, perhaps because it’s not a pest elsewhere. Its arrival in Hawaiʻi marks the first time this beetle has acted invasively with potential impacts only now being realized. The list of trees damaged by beetle larvae continues to grow. It’s been found tunneling through lemons, limes and other citrus; Polynesian-introduced trees such as ulu (breadfruit) and kukui; favorite food crops like cacao (chocolate) and possibly avocado; and introduced species such as gunpowder trees and sago palm. As the current world expert on the beetle, the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture has not identified any natural enemies in Hawaiʻi nor any effective controls methods.

Complicating research on control options is the presence of native longhorned beetles in our state. Important both as wood decomposers and food for native birds, our Cerambycid beetles are one of the many native insects that show amazing rates of adaptive radiation. From what entomologist estimate was three distinct arrivals, over 120 species evolved. One of the largest native insects in Hawaiʻi is a Cerambycid beetle; measuring 2 inches from ­tip to tail with sweeping antennae as long as its body, Megopis reflexa is closest in appearance to the invasive Acalolepta aesthetica.

The new wood-boring pest is not yet known from Maui or any of the other Hawaiian Islands, but farmers and residents can take steps to prevent its arrival. The best way to keep it from moving interisland is to not bring green woody material between islands, particularly if the vegetation shows signs of damage, such as weeping wounds where a beetle may have laid its eggs and larvae entered the tree.

The larvae of Acalolepta aesthetica, a longhorned beetle from Australia, leaves large weeping holes in tree trunks of food crops like citrus and cacao. — Photo courtesy of Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Be alert to sightings of the beetle, often attracted to house lights at night. The adult measures from 2-4.5cm (3/4-1 ¾ inches) in length. The antennae on the male are twice as long as the body – giving rise the moniker “longhorned.”  Antennae on the female are shorter. On either side of the thorax (the body part behind the head) are two thorn-like spines. The abdomen is dimpled and looks as though covered in peach fuzz. In contrast, the native Megopis beetle has ridges running down the abdomen, giving it a striped appearance.

There is a native longhorned beetle – Megopis reflexa – that is nearly the same size as the invasive Queensland longhorned beetle. Look for stripes running the length of the body. –Photo courtesy of Ross Kamimoto

Oishi also suggests looking for wounding on trees.  The beetle larvae can be even larger than the adults and as they leave the tree to mature, they leave behind large holes, up to 1.25 cm (1/2 inch) in diameter, as big around as a pinky.  Other indications are sawdust-like frass being pushed out of holes on the trunk, girdling on trunk, sap oozing from where the adult laid eggs, and branch dieback and drop. Find more details and the official pest advisory on the HDOA website: http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/pi/ppc/new-pest-advisories/.

On Maui, report any suspected sightings. Collect the beetle and contain it in a secure container. Take clear digital photos of the beetle and record the location, type of plant or tree, date, and how you found it. If you see damage on a tree, take photos. Use an object (coin or ruler) for reference.  Email the photos and the information to HDOA.PPC@HAWAII.GOV or report it online through 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 on August 10th, 2018 as part of the Kiaʻi Moku Column for the Maui News.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles.

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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