Kia’i Moku Column — Page 7 — Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

Help protect the fragile and amazing anchialine pools of Hawaii

Posted on January 21, 2020 by Lissa Strohecker

Anchialine pools are not tide pools — they have no direct connection to the ocean. Each pool is unique, both in the salinity of the brackish water and the species that live within them. — JEFF BAGSHAW photo.

Amidst a black canvas of young lava, plant-like bacteria grow…..painting a gold border that divides the brilliant green plants from the crystalline blue waters. A diversity of shrimp, from nearly translucent to ruby red in color, float through the water while tuxedo-wearing stilts, ae’o, wander the shoreline plucking their meal from the water.

Such is the scene at a healthy anchialine pool, one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. A mix of freshwater and saltwater, these are not tide pools—anchialine pools are landlocked with no direct channel to the ocean. They are fed by seawater that seeps in underground through porous rock and mixes with surface water. The depth of the pools fluctuates, influenced by the tides, but delayed by the rocks the ocean filters through.

Anchialine pools exist in only a few places in the world and the largest concentration is in the Hawaiian Islands, where most occur on the relatively young lava fields of Big Island and Maui. Unique as they may be, these pools and the species that reside within them are vulnerable to the same threats that plague the rest of Hawaiʻi’s natural resources: invasive species, climate change, and the trampling of too many feet.

Anchialine pools can be as small as a soup pot or as large as a parking lot and no two are alike: “Each one is like a complete universe,” explains Jeff Bagshaw, Natural Area Reserve Specialist at the ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu Natural Area Reserve.

ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu has 12 groups of pools; one is the only home in the world for a tiny swimming crab. Measuring only an inch long and shy, this little creature is rarely seen. It took over 50 years before researchers could finally capture the tiny critter and identify it. Along with the swimming crab, the pools at ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu provide habitat for 10 species of shrimp, five of which are candidates for being listed as endangered species.

Elsewhere in Hawaiʻi, introduced trees such as kiawe and milo suck up water that would otherwise fill pools. Pickleweed, a salt-tolerant introduced plant, crowds out algal mats that feed the shrimp, which in turn feed native shorebirds. Feral goats and people wander among the pools, trampling plants and defecating along the shoreline, changing the chemistry of the pools.

Endangered waterbirds known as stilts enjoy their environment alongside an anchialine pool. Any introduction of invasive species could be extremely detrimental to this very delicate habitat. — Jeff Bradshaw photo.

The pools at ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu are now protected from animals by a fence around the preserve. People have been restricted from accessing the pools since 2008 but footprints are still visible in a mat of cyanobacteria, the plant-like bacteria lining the pond that adds such spectacular color. Volunteers and state crews from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources have taken on the invasive species, cutting back trees from the shoreline and lying on boogie boards to pluck out pickleweed from the native plants. This work to keep the pools and species within them healthy may help as climate change starts to affect these tiny universes.

As sea levels rise, the pools risk being swamped by the ocean. But there is hope. “If they have an undisturbed space to go to,” says Bagshaw, anchialine pools have potential to move, filling recesses in the lava field upslope as sea level rises. “So it is important to protect potential new habitat in trying to manage pools for the future.”

You can help. The ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu Natural Area Reserve is looking for volunteers to educate visitors about responsible behavior in the reserve. Contact Bagshaw at jeff.w.bagshaw@hawaii.gov

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 13th, 2017, as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

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The efforts to keep pests out of your Christmas tree

Posted on December 19, 2019 by Lissa Strohecker

By December 3rd of this year (2019), near the end of the shipping season, 93,000 Christmas trees had arrived in Hawaiʻi – this according to Chris Kishimoto, Oʻahu-based entomologist with the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA). The trees will be adorned with ornaments and sheltering packages in time for Christmas, but the preparations to ensure the trees are not harboring unwanted pests began months earlier.

Staff from the Oregon state Department of Agriculture inspect items shaken from pine trees to make sure no unwanted pests are hitchhiking on trees destined for the Hawaiian Islands. Preventing pests from hitchiking to Hawai’i in Christmas trees begins before trees are even harvested. — OREGON DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE photo

Most of the Christmas trees imported to Hawaiʻi come from farms in Oregon, with the remainder coming from Washington State. As fall starts to sweep the mainland, Kishimoto reaches out to the Christmas tree growers to get weather reports from the area – a long, extended summer or a cool and frosty fall. This helps him to determine how active potential hitchhiking pests may be before the trees are harvested. Inspectors from the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) inspect trees that are vigorously shaken over a light-colored barrier such as a white tarp or sheet, looking for pests before they are loaded into containers. The trees are then carried by train to California and loaded onto barges destined for Hawaiʻi.

Every year, in the weeks before Christmas, an average of 160-180 containers of trees arrive after a two to three week voyage. All containers arrive in Honolulu where Kishimoto and HDOA inspectors inspect the trees again. Once a container is opened, HDOA inspectors will check for proper paperwork and ensure there are no apparent signs of a pest infestation. They will then randomly select trees from each container, unwrap them, and gives each tree a vigorous shake over white tarps for the second time. If what falls out should not be in Hawaiʻi, the container is quarantined until the importer can have all trees subjected to an appropriate treatment, shipped out of the State, or destroyed. If no pests are detected and everything is in compliance, the containers are released and sent to their final destinations.

At the end of the shipping season, Kishimoto talks with his colleagues at ODA and WSDA to relay the various species that HDOA intercepted. If needed, the ODA, WSDA, and the Christmas tree industry revise practices and standards based on the feedback.

Kishimoto thinks the collaborative efforts with the Department of Agriculture in Oregon and Washington are effective and have greatly reduced the number of rejected shipments. “Christmas trees are not necessarily any higher risk than cut flowers or foliage” he says. Ultimately, any time material is imported there is a risk a pest or hitchhiking animal may slip through – take for example the southern alligator lizard found by a Hilo resident on Thanksgiving weekend.

The best decoration for your home regardless of the time of year is the locally-sourced option. Local purchases support local farmers; the material is fresh– therefore, longer-lasting—and won’t be carrying a pest new to Hawaiʻi. There are locally grown options for Christmas trees on Maui – both from a Christmas tree farm in Kula as well as volunteer options to remove invasive pines. And if you do find that your holiday decorations come bearing unwanted presents, capture the pest and report it, either through the statewide pest hotline: 643-PEST (7378), online: 643PEST.org, or the Maui Plant Quarantine Office at (808) 872-3848.

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

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Perils of pampas on West Maui Mountains

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Lissa Strohecker

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

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.

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Finding pests early helps to protect unique places like Lānaʻi

Posted on October 24, 2019 by Lissa Strohecker

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.

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.

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Hotels and resorts partner in effort to eradicate LFA

Posted on September 26, 2019 by Lissa Strohecker

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.

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.

Plan exists to enhance biosecurity among Hawaiian Islands

Posted on September 26, 2019 by Lissa Strohecker

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/.

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.

Damage to māmaki plant by moth highlights need for biosecurity

Posted on September 26, 2019 by Lissa Strohecker

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/

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

Posted on September 26, 2019 by Lissa Strohecker

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 1/20^th 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/

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.

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Invasive longhorned beetle bores into fruit trees, threatening crops

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Lissa Strohecker

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.

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.

Illegal dumping risks spreading invasive species

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Lissa Strohecker

Coqui frogs, like this male guarding his eggs, take advantage of man-made materials for shelter. Illegally dumping rubbish can spread pests like coqui and make removing them more difficult. Photo by Maui Invasive Species Committee.

The evening of July 24, 2018, a Maui resident living near the Five Corners area of Haʻikū heard something she did not recognize as a normal sound for her neighborhood: the 2-note call of invasive coqui frogs. “I was in shock,” she says. “All the sudden there were 5-10 coqui frogs near my house.” She reported the frogs to the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) and worked with neighbors to pinpoint the frogs’ location in a gulch adjacent to a nearby pasture.

When crews arrived a few days later, they indeed found coqui frogs spread across a quarter acre. They also found a rubbish pile with tires and plywood. “Given that there were no frogs, then suddenly ten—that’s too many to have jumped onto a car and been moved to the site,” explains Abe Vandenberg, MISC Coqui Coordinator. “The more likely scenario is that there was a clutch of eggs moved in the rubbish pile.” Coqui frogs hatch out from their eggs as tiny froglets, unlike other frogs that go through a tadpole stage that requires standing water.

Coqui are an introduced species to the Hawaiian Islands. Without the predators like snakes that keep them in check in Puerto Rico, they reach unnaturally high densities that are 2-3 times higher here in Hawaii than in their native habitat. In turn, they impact insect populations and nutrient cycling. But their mating call is what drives control efforts – males call “co-qui” from dawn until dusk in a piercing cacophony that disrupts sleep.

Unfortunately, the Five Corners situation is not unique. Even in the early days of coqui control efforts on Maui, roadside dumping factored into the amphibians’ spread. A vehicle abandoned in Māliko Gulch was the likely vector of frogs to a salvage yard in Haʻikū. As the coqui population increases on Maui, so do the instances of coqui moving in green waste and trash.

In the last year, illegally-dumped rubbish has been the vector for at least five introductions of coqui that MISC is aware of.

Little fire ants are another invasive pest that is known to spread through the movement of green waste and debris. Green waste facilities are monitored for these pests to reduce the risk of spread but illegal dumping can circumvent these safe guards. Photo by Maui Invasive Species Committee.

More often than not, the frog-infested trash is dumped in gulches – a difficult and dangerous place for crews to access and remove the noisy invaders.

It’s not just coqui frogs hitchhiking in trash and yard waste. On Hawaiʻi Island and in Tahiti and Guam, little fire ants have been spread through green waste. On Maui, MISC has worked with the owners of properties infested by little fire ants to address this threat, but undetected populations of pest ants most likely still exist. On Oʻahu, the larvae and eggs of the palm-killing coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) develop in coconut mulch, so preventing the spread of green waste is the most important task for crews working on the CRB Response Team. Coconut rhinoceros beetles are killing coconuts and other palms on Oʻahu and have not yet been reported from other islands.

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles (CRB) lay eggs in mulch and so stopping the movement of infested debris is a priority for the CRB teams on O’ahu. Photo by U.S. Army Garrison Hawai’i.

When yard clippings and mulch are properly handled, green waste is less of a threat. The temperature of a managed compost pile reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit, enough to kill weed seeds and many invasive pests and their eggs. Additionally, bringing green waste to a central location allows for monitoring. Green waste sites on Maui are regularly surveyed for the presence of little fire ants.

People who are tempted to dump their rubbish illegally may not realize that the impacts of their actions can be catastrophic. Often, illegal dumping attracts more dumping. The tangle of trash provides ample sites for pests to hide out and avoid treatment. You can help. Properly dispose of waste at the landfill, green waste facility, or compost it on site. Report illegal dumping to the Maui Police Department, at (808) 244-6400, and to the State of Hawaii Department of Health at (808) 984-8230.

This article was originally published on May 13th, 2018 as part of the Kia’i Moku Column for the Maui News.

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Damage to māmaki plant by moth highlights need for biosecurity

Sap-sucking insect threatens native naio trees

Invasive longhorned beetle bores into fruit trees, threatening crops

Illegal dumping risks spreading invasive species

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