Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

Trace-forward reveals little fire ants in Kīpahulu. Public encouraged to report stinging ants

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MISC crews survey a section of road along Hāna Highway in Kīpahulu.

On August 26th, 2024, the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) field crew detected a small population of little fire ants (Wasmannia auropunctata) along Hāna Highway near the entrance of the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park. This finding follows the late May detection of little fire ants (LFA) at a county storage area on Waikaloa Road in Hāna. The ants likely spread via contaminated road fill to Kīpahulu within the last year. The infestation appears to be confined to approximately two-thirds of an acre, less than half a soccer field.

This new discovery resulted from a MISC trace-forward effort, which involves looking to see where the ants might have been moved. “Little fire ants are notorious hitchhikers,” says Brooke Mahnken, who coordinates the LFA project for MISC, “and they’re easy to miss until someone gets stung, which is how the Waikaloa Road infestation was discovered.” The MISC team has been working closely with Maui County ever since the ants were first detected in Hāna. “Maui County has been completely supportive of control efforts,” Mahnken says. “They brought in heavy equipment to open up access for treatment and have followed all recommended protocols to prevent further spread.” Several ground treatments at Waikaloa Road site have already occurred— including all the fill piles—and the first full-site treatment by helicopter is scheduled for September 23.

As part of the trace-forward investigation, MISC crews are surveying areas where fill from Waikaloa was used—from Honomanū to Ulupalakua. So far, crews have not found little fire ants during surveys in Honomanū, Keʻanae, and Wailua. No LFA have been found at the Hāna landfill.

Little fire ants are one of the most destructive invasive species in Hawai‘i. Known for forming ‘supercolonies’ that outcompete native insects and displace animals, they are a serious environmental threat. Infestations jeopardize agriculture, can blind pets with their stings, and prevent enjoyment of outdoor spaces including backyards, beaches, and trails.

Community reports are vital in stopping LFA; the vast majority (18 of 25) of detections on Maui were thanks to the public. MISC works closely with the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Hawaiʻi Ant Lab to eliminate LFA at the 25 sites discovered across Maui. Ten sites remain under active control but 15 are either eradicated or in the final monitoring phase. Innovative methods – including treatment by helicopter– are proving successful and will now be used in Waikaloa.

Funding from the County of Maui and the Hawaii Invasive Species Council has supported eradication efforts, but Mahnken is concerned about recent trends. “Consistent, repeat treatments are needed for eradication. If we fall behind, everything takes longer, increasing the likelihood that the ants will move to new locations.” The key to keeping LFA from becoming established is finding them early and he urges the public to keep reporting stinging ants.

If you are stung by ants outside or in your home, report through 643PEST.org. For more information, visit stoptheant.org.

The Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) is a grant-funded project of the University of Hawaii’s Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, working to contain or eradicate high-threat invasive species across Maui County. Learn more at mauiinvasive.org.

PDF VERSION PRESS RELEASE

Press Release: New invasive little fire ant population discovered in Huelo

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PRESS RELEASE

Date: June 3, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Subject: New invasive little fire ant population discovered in Huelo
Contact: Serena Fukushima, Public Relations and Educational Specialist
Maui Invasive Species Committee
PH: (808) 344-2756
Email: miscpr@hawaii.edu

In early May, the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) received a voicemail from a husband and wife describing stinging ants encountered on the property where they live in Huelo. They explained that tenants on the property doing yardwork experienced stings on their torsos by tiny ants. MISC and the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture surveyed the property and positively identified little fire ants (LFA). The MISC little fire ant team thoroughly mapped the infestation and treatments have already begun. MISC is working with the landowner and tenants on determining where the source of this new little fire ant infestation came from. Despite the proximity of this site to another infestation in Huelo, these sites do not appear to be related.

  • Photo: MISC File Photo

“If the community continues to be our eyes and ears by reporting suspect ants, we can stop the little fire ant from becoming established on Maui,” says Adam Radford, Manager of the Maui Invasive Species Committee. “reporting is critical to finding these invasive ant populations and eliminating them, so getting into the habit of contacting MISC when you get stung by a suspect ant is a great way to protect our island from these invasive species. If you get a sting, give us a ring!”

Community efforts have led to the detection of 12 of 18 known infestations of little fire ants on Maui. Once detected, each infestation is treated for approximately one year, then monitored. There are only six sites, including this one, where little ants are still present and under active control.

On Maui, funding from the County of Maui and the Hawaii Invasive Species Council supports little fire ant control efforts. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture inspects incoming plant material for invasive pests, preventing additional infestations, and assists MISC with survey and control efforts.

Little fire ants have become widespread on Hawaii Island. Animals often leave the areas where ants are established, as do hikers, farmers, and hunters. When little fire ants invade yards and homes, pets can be blinded, and residents choose to move.

  • Photo: Z.Pezzillo
  • Photo: Z.Pezzillo

Community efforts are essential to keeping invasive ants from becoming widespread. MISC recommends collecting ants in your yard for identification at least once per year, and every time new materials such as mulch or nursery plants are purchased. It only takes a few minutes to test for LFA:

Smear a tiny bit of peanut butter (or mayonnaise if peanut allergies are a concern) on several thin strips of cardboard, and place them in shady places in your yard. After 45 minutes, collect the samples with ants, place them in a plastic bag labeled with your name, address, and contact information, and freeze for 24 hours to kill the ants. Mail them to your local Invasive Species Committee. On Maui, please send them to MISC, P.O. Box 983, Makawao, HI 96768.

Visit stoptheant.org to find out more information on collecting ant samples and the status of LFA on Maui and throughout the state. Contact MISC with concerns, questions, or reports at 808-573-6472 or miscants@hawaii.edu. Reports can also be submitted through 643PEST.org.

Photo: Z.Pezzillo

Press Release: Haʻikū residents report stinging ants, uncovering a small population of invasive little fire ants

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Date: November 19, 2020  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lissa Strohecker, Public Relations and Educational Specialist
Maui Invasive Species Committee
PH:  (808) 573-6472
Email: miscpr@hawaii.edu

Thanks again to the backyard efforts of Maui residents, a recently-detected population of little fire ants will be eradicated. This infestation is in Haʻikū, off Kaupakalua road. The Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) estimates the ants have spread across four acres.

Maui residents Janet Mercer and Patti Hawkins reported the ants to MISC in late September. After several months away they returned to their home to find a new tenant: tiny, orange ants had spread throughout their yard and house. Initially, Mercer and Hawkins tried to control the ants with liquid ant baits from the hardware store but the ants ignored the household pesticide. The pests however, did not ignore the couple; even inside their home, they were getting stung.

Little fire ants form supercolonies by cooperating with each other. They effectively outcompete other ant species and take advantage of all possible habitat, colonizing trees and the ground. While they prefer to be outside, once they are established they start to explore new environments – including those occupied by people.

Hawkins is highly reactive to insect stings “I seem to be the canary in the coal mine,” she jokes. But even she was surprised by the pain delivered by these tiny ants. “It was like a bee, it kept going for 10-15 minutes or more after it stung. Then they would welt up,” she explains.

Hawkins told the story to a friend who suggested they might be little fire ants and that she should collect and submit a sample. “I put a little peanut butter out there and, wham. I couldn’t believe it. … I came back less than an hour later and the sticks were swarmed.” She brought the sample to an employee with the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) who confirmed that the ants were indeed the little fire ant.

MISC and the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA) have surveyed the couple’s home and surrounding properties. The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture has done trace-forward testing – looking at places where potted plants or material had been moved from the infested area to see if any ants may have hitchhiked a ride. Based on their findings, the infestation is contained to four acre, but the source of the infestation is not known. Given the spread, it’s likely that ants have been present for several years. 

Coincidentally, the infestation was detected just before little fire ant awareness month, an annual event where Hawaiʻi residents are encouraged to collect and submit samples of ants from their homes to find infestation of little fire ants and other invasive ants while they can still be controlled. Community efforts have led to the detection of 11 of 17 known infestations of little fire ants on Maui. Once detected, each infestation is treated for approximately one year, then monitored. There are only eight sites, including Kaupakalua, where little ants are still present and under active control.

“If people keep paying attention, and collecting and reporting suspect ants, we can stop the little fire ant from becoming established on Maui,” says Adam Radford, manager of the Maui Invasive Species Committee. “The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture is able to inspect incoming material for LFA and other pests, MISC crews conduct surveys, but public reporting is critical to finding these invasive ant populations and eliminating them.” On Maui, funding from the County of Maui and the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council supports control efforts.

Little fire ants have become widespread on Hawaiʻi Island. Animals often leave the areas where ants are established as do hikers and hunters. When little fire ants invade yards and homes, pets can be blinded. 

Community efforts are essential to keeping invasive ants from becoming widespread. MISC recommends collecting ants for identification at least one time per year. It only takes a few minutes:

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


Visit stoptheant.org to find out more information on collecting ant samples of ants and the status of LFA on Maui and throughout the state. Contact MISC with concerns, questions, or reports at 808-573-6472 or miscants@hawaii.edu.  Reports can also be submitted through 643PEST.org.

The little fire ant (LFA) has been detected on the campus of Lahainaluna High School

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Date: May 05, 2020  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lissa Strohecker, Public Relations and Educational Specialist
Adam Radford, MISC Manager, Maui Invasive Species Committee
PH:  (808) 573-6472
Email: miscpr@hawaii.edu

  • Little fire ants climb along a hibiscus flower.
  • Little fire ants are approximately 2 mm long
  • Test any material coming from an area infested with little fire ants. Preventing the spread of pests to new areas and finding infestations early is critical to achieving eradication. Photo by Masako Cordray
  • Don't confuse the little fire ant with the much larger and widespread tropical fire ant
    Don’t confuse the little fire ant with the much larger and widespread tropical fire ant (above). Photo courtesy of HDOA
  • Little fire ants, Wasmannia auropunctata, on a penny. Photo by Zach Pezzillo
    Little fire ants, Wasmannia auropunctata, on a penny. Photo by Zach Pezzillo.
  • Little fire ants seen on a taro leaf for scale. These tiny terrors have huge impacts. Photo by Masako Cordray

A report of little fire ants on the campus of Lahainaluna High School has been confirmed by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) and Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC). This is the first detection of the invasive little fire ants at a school in Maui County. Though schools on Hawaii Island are burdened with addressing the stinging ants on school grounds, MISC is able to help on Maui.

“Proactive efforts on the part of the Lahainaluna staff – in recognizing little fire ants and submitting a sample – resulted in early detection of a relatively small infestation. Finding them early is the key to successful and timely eradication,” says MISC manager, Adam Radford.

Based on initial inspection, the infestation is just over one-quarter of an acre and limited to a section of potted plants brought to the campus several years ago as part of the school’s agriculture program. Staff suspected little fire ants were present in December and collected and submitted a sample of the pests to the Maui Invasive Species Committee in January. Two comprehensive treatments of the infestation have already occurred. The next treatment is scheduled for mid-June and treatments will continue for one year.

Once identified, this site posed little risk to the community and is the smallest infestation detected on Maui in recent years. The infested material has been quarantined on-site since detection. Without human involvement, little fire ants spread slowly, particularly in dry arid regions as the ants are a rainforest species native to South America. Moving soil and plants that have little fire ants are how they are able to spread quickly over large distances.

The school conducts occasional plant sales. The Spring Plant Sale was held in May 2019, at the Lahaina Cannery Mall. Another plant sale was held on campus in November of 2019.  There is a chance that Infested plants were sold.  “I encourage anyone who may have recently purchased plants from Lahainaluna High School, to test your yards or garden areas,” says Jeri Dean, TA Acting Principal of Lahainaluna.

Community assistance – testing for little fire ants and reporting stinging ants – have led to the majority LFA detections on Maui.  

MISC recommends that Maui residents survey their yards for little fire ants once per year. Additionally, quarantine new plants, mulch, or soil before planting or distributing throughout the property and test for little fire ants. Moving construction equipment and building material is an additional vector for LFA throughout the state. Any material stored outside for months or more should be tested.

Small red ants, particularly those that fall from overhanging vegetation, stinging people on the back of the neck, warrant immediate collection and reporting. Ant samples can be collected for identification by smearing a thin layer of peanut butter on a stick and leaving it outside near where ants are found for 45 minutes.  Bag the sample and place it in a freezer for 24 hours, then mail the sample to the Maui Invasive Species Committee at PO Box 983, Makawao, HI 96768, including contact information. Samples can also be mailed to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture at 635 Mua St, Kahului, 96732. If you have questions, please call 573-MISC (6472).

This latest detection brings the total number of infestation sites on the Valley Isle to 16. Seven sites are being actively treated.  The remaining nine sites are regularly surveyed to ensure the ants have been eradicated at those locations. 

The only other known site on West Maui is in Kapalua. Originally covering 12 acres, the stinging ants were reported by an area resident in 2016. The Kapalua site is now in a monitoring phase and there is no known link between the Lahainaluna infestation and the one in Kapalua.  Visit stoptheant.org to find out more information on collecting samples of ants and the status of LFA on Maui and throughout the state.

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

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.

Why All the Talk About Eradication?

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Test any material coming from an area infested with little fire ants. Preventing the spread of pests to new areas and finding infestations early is critical to achieving eradication. Photo by Masako Cordray

Life in paradise inevitably means dealing with invasive species in some form. From termites to rats, centipedes to garden weeds, there is an unending onslaught of pests we all deal with. Efforts to control them usually buy a temporary respite; we known and expect these pests will return.

Eradication, removing every last reproducing individual (or seed, in the case of plants) is the gold standard of invasive species management. In theory, eradication is achievable for any pest species, given enough time and money. In reality, time and money are in short supply. Deciding to eradicate a species is a significant undertaking, typically only possible when the target population level is low and accessible.

It took 80 years to eradicate feral goats from the island of Kahoʻolawe but today the island is recovering.

Goats once ran rampant on Kahoʻolawe. Introduced to the island in 1793, a gift to Chief Kahekili of Maui from Captain Vancouver, these hearty hooved beasts quickly took over, limited only by food availability. They devoured the vegetation on the island, threatening native species and exacerbating erosion. Starting in 1910, a host of assorted land managers, including ranchers, the military, and the state government battled goats on Kahoʻolawe. Over a period of 80 years goats were hunted aggressively—but always a few remained, too difficult to find. When control would cease, goat populations would explode again.

The last goat was finally removed in 1993 that goats were truly eradicated from the island. Those last few goats were the hardest to find, yet tracking down the holdouts was critical to the island’s vegetation recovery. As was the case on Kahoʻolawe, persistence is often a key ingredient of successful eradication efforts.

“It’s easy to kill 99% …. It’s the last 1% that makes it tricky,”

Not just large invaders can be eradicated—little fire ants, for example, are eradicable. These miniscule ants have something in common with the goats that once riddled Kahoʻolawe: removing the last few is the most challenging yet most important part of the job.

Until Hawaii Ant Lab arrived, attempts at eradicating the tiny ground and tree-dwelling little fire ant had failed. Getting a bait to the queen is part of the challenge, one met by their research and expertise. Photo by Masako Cordray

“It’s easy to kill 99% of the ants. It’s the last 1% that makes it tricky,” says Cas Vanderwoude, manager of the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab. His organization provides the expertise behind the efforts to eradicate little fire ants from Maui. And, as with any attempt to truly eradicate an invasive species, most of the work lies in finding the last few. “Surveys are essential to understanding where the ants are, how effective the treatment is, and if the population is eradicated.” Currently, MISC and the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab anticipate that infested properties will be monitored indefinitely to ensure the little fire ant has been eradicated.

The fact that these tiny invaders also live in trees adds to the challenge. Historically, treatment of the little fire ant relied on granule pesticides developed for fire ants in general. These granules could only be scattered on the ground and did nothing to control the colonies of ants living in trees. In Hawaiʻi, worker ants find enough food in trees, relying on sap sucking insects and other food sources, never needing to forage on the ground. Without workers carrying bait back to the queen in the nest, the colony will survive, reproduce, and reinvade, as the goats of Kahoʻolawe did time and time again. Fortunately, the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab has developed techniques for controlling little fire ant on the ground and in the trees.

Little fire ants seen on a taro leaf for scale. These tiny terrors have huge impacts. Photo by Masako Cordray

On Maui there are only a handful of little fire ant populations: Nāhiku, Kapalua, Huelo, and Waiheʻe.  Though eradicating these infestations will be a challenge, complete removal of the little fire ant from Maui is the goal thanks to the expertise of the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab.

Eradication is time-consuming and expensive, though the price is negligible when compared to the never-ending cost of suppressing these pests so we can continue to enjoy life in Hawaiʻi as we know it. Economists estimate that the cost of damage from little fire ants on Hawaiʻi Island will exceed $140 million if current trends continue.

Eradication is costly, but it is an investment in the future. You can help to keep little fire ants at bay by ensuring you do not have any present on your property. Survey your yard for the little fire ant. Quarantine and test potted plants, mulch, and soil before distributing it on your property. Find testing information online at stoptheant.org or littlefireants.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.

Originally published in the Maui News on January 6th, 2017 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Read more Kiaʻi Moku articles.

Read more about the efforts and impacts of little fire ants:

Trace-forward reveals little fire ants in Kīpahulu. Public encouraged to report stinging ants

On August 26th, 2024, the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) field crew detected a small population of little fire ants ...
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Press Release: New invasive little fire ant population discovered in Huelo

PRESS RELEASE Date: June 3, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESubject: New invasive little fire ant population discovered in HueloContact: Serena Fukushima, ...
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Press Release: Haʻikū residents report stinging ants, uncovering a small population of invasive little fire ants

Date: November 19, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Lissa Strohecker, Public Relations and Educational Specialist Maui Invasive Species Committee PH: (808) ...
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The little fire ant (LFA) has been detected on the campus of Lahainaluna High School

Date: May 05, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Lissa Strohecker, Public Relations and Educational Specialist Adam Radford, MISC Manager, Maui Invasive ...
Read More
Little fire ants, Wasmannia auropunctata, on a penny. Photo by Zach Pezzillo

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

An infestation of little fire ants (LFA) has been detected at an area known as Twin Falls, in Huelo, East ...
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Press release 9/23/19: New infestation of little fire ants found in Waihee Valley

Little Fire Ants on a hibiscus flower in Waihee Valley. MISC file photo In late August 2019, a Waihee Valley ...
Read More

Why All the Talk About Eradication?

Life in paradise inevitably means dealing with invasive species in some form. From termites to rats, centipedes to garden weeds, ...
Read More

Fire! Little Fire Ants in Hawaii

Little fire ants are spreading throughout the state. First introduced to Puna in 1999, and shortly thereafter to Kaua’i, these ...
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Invasive species can sting aloha

Aunty Penny Martin is a lei-maker on Molokaʻi. She was talking story one day with a friend visiting from Hawaiʻi ...
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LFA – Insidious invaders that you can stop

Ginger Johnson bought a hapu‘u fern late in 2013 to plant alongside others in her yard. But when she heard ...
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Fire! Little Fire Ants in Hawaii

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Little fire ants are spreading throughout the state.

First introduced to Puna in 1999, and shortly thereafter to Kaua’i, these ants are one of the worst invasive species imaginable in Hawai’i. They invade houses, gardens, and forests. The ants are also arboreal; they swarm up plants and trees. When disturbed, they drop off, falling onto people and animals. Unsuspecting victims are left with painful stings.

Until recently, little fire ants were limited primarily to Hawai’i Island but as infestations have grown there, so has inevitability of their spread.

In January of 2014 little fire ants were detected on Oʻahu, leading to a multi-agency response resulting in containment and eradication. These tiny pests have hitchhiked to Maui and Lānaʻi as well. Meanwhile, Hawaiʻi Island residents are faced with creating sanctuaries amidst a sea of stinging ants.

This 30 minute documentary examines the spread of the little fire ant and the people who work to address one of the most significant invasive species problems confronting the Islands.

Funding support for this video was provided in part by the Maui Invasive Species Committee and the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council.

Invasive species can sting aloha

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Photo courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr.

Photo courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr.

Aunty Penny Martin is a lei-maker on Molokaʻi. She was talking story one day with a friend visiting from Hawaiʻi Island, and the conversation turned as it often does, to lei-making.  The friend had a lime-green hydrangea growing in her yard and offered to bring her some. “As a lei maker, the hydrangea are the best for making lei po‘o (lei for the head),” said Aunty Penny. “I was really excited to see.”

At their next meeting, her friend had brought the beautiful flowers from Hawaiʻi Island. “I was overcome by the hydrangea,” she said. “I was ooh-in and ahh-ing,” Then she noticed her friend must have picked them on the go, bagging them before leaving to go to the airport so they would be fresh.  While the lei-maker was touched by the gesture, the sight of the freshly bagged hydrangea triggered a thought.  “It was like an epiphany—I’m thinking fire ants, coqui. I really wanted it….my hands were just itching to make that lei.”

The lime-green hydrangea ended up double bagged to contain any pests and buried at the Molokaʻi landfill. “It would have been easy to stop thinking responsibly,” said Aunty Penny.

As every malahini (newcomer) soon learns, the expansive aloha spirit also celebrates the bounty

The aloha spirit celebrates the bounty of the land, but invasive species threaten to change the practice of bringing gifts from our homes.

The aloha spirit celebrates the bounty of the land, but invasive species threaten to change the practice of bringing gifts from our homes.

of the land. Sharing in that bounty goes beyond good manners–it’s culture. Bringing gifts from your home, be they avocados or citrus, flowers or orchids, even cream puffs or manapua from a local bakery, is part of our way of life.

But as devastating pests like little fire ants become established on some islands and not others, our culture may change. “That kind of sharing and exchanging—pretty soon not going to be the norm, ‘cause you’re going to be worried about things,” says Aunty Penny.

Concerns about invasive species affect even the most traditional of cultural practices. Last summer, a group of students on Big Island helped place lei on every known burial site at Kalaupapa on Molokaʻi to remember those who lived and died there.  The lei brought from the Big Island were made of ti leaves, chosen in part because they could withstand freezing to kill any little fire ants.

Invasive species have affected cultural practices in other ways:  apple snails munch taro throughout much of the state, scale insects on hala can ruin the leaves for weavers in East Maui, and mites threaten the coconut groves planted for King Kamehameha V on Molokaʻi.

Lei-makers often share material between islands. Increasing concerns about transporting pests is beginning to hamper that practice. Photo courtesy of Maui Nui Botanical Garden.

Lei-makers often share material between islands. Increasing concerns about transporting pests is beginning to hamper that practice. Photo courtesy of Maui Nui Botanical Garden.

“I grew up with the tradition of bringing lei from island to island,” says Aunty Penny. “It just crushes me that now I have to think about fire ants and coqui.” Hawaiʻi residents don’t have to stop sharing plants and flowers with friends, but taking a few minutes to check that the gifts are free of unintentional hitchhikers will help keep the natural environment and native culture intact. “I loved that hydrangea,” says Aunty Penny, “but I love Molokaʻi more.”

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.

Originally published in the Maui News, March 8th, 2015 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

LFA – Insidious invaders that you can stop

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Ginger Johnson bought a hapu‘u fern late in 2013 to plant alongside others in her yard.

MISC employee Molly Wirth surveys for LFA in response to a Maui residents concern about little fire ant moving in hapuu. No LFA were found. MISC file photo

MISC employee Molly Wirth surveys for LFA in response to a Maui residents concern about little fire ant moving in hapuu. No LFA were found. MISC file photo

But when she heard the news in early January that inspectors found a new species of fire ant hitchhiking from the Big Island to Maui in hapu‘u , she thought of the hapu‘u  she had just brought home. What if the ants had infested her yard? “I was very concerned. I went and looked at it and didn’t see anything.” Johnson left the hapu‘u in the shade of a tree, uncertain about what to do.

“I called a friend of mine who happened to be a biologist. He advised that I do the peanut butter and chopstick test.” The simple test, placing a peanut-butter smeared chopstick near material that may carry little fire ant, will attract many ants, including Wasmannia auropunctata, the little fire ant (LFA). Johnson tested but did not find any ants that resembled LFA, which are tiny (as long as a penny is thick) and uniformly light red in color. She was still concerned and called the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) for further assistance.

Crews from MISC arrived, bagged the hapu‘u to contain any ants, and took it to the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) where entomologists examined it for LFA. No suspect ants were found. But because the hapu‘u had been at Johnson’s house for a little while, MISC workers surveyed her property. They’ll return several times to ensure LFA weren’t introduced. This new pest is so damaging, it’s worth the extra effort to prevent it from becoming established on Maui.

Little fire ants can be hard to find when first introduced. Workers may not be foraging far from the queen, and even if several colonies are present, these miniscule insects are very hard to detect. Bait (like the peanut-butter-smeared chopstick) must be placed every two feet or closer. By the time the ants are stinging people or blinding pets, the population may have been present for months or years.

Little fire ants on the large end of a chopstick. Photo courtesy of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Little fire ants on the large end of a chopstick. Photo courtesy of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

These opportunistic ants don’t build mounds; rather they find shelter in leaf litter, under rocks, or in loose tree bark. Little fire ants are insidious invaders. They don’t announce their presence by swarming feet and legs; instead, they sting when they are trapped against skin or in clothing. Establishing nests in trees and amongst ground cover, LFA can reach densities of 20,000 workers per meter, or a whopping 155 ants in a square inch. At that level, painful encounters become unavoidable.

So: if it’s small, call. MISC will survey your property, using peanut butter to attract ants. Alternatively you can submit a sample to MISC. Expert taxonomists review all ants collected. If they suspect little fire ants, they’ll take the sample to HODA for confirmation.

Little fire ants are not known to be established on Maui, Lāna‘i or Moloka‘i; though small infestations have been detected and controlled on Maui and Lāna‘i. Resources exist to stop this pest in its tracks. An interagency team made up of the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture, Hawai‘i Ant Lab, and Maui Invasive Species Committee will respond to any new infestation in Maui County.

Inspectors at the Kahului airport destroy any little-fire-ant-infested shipments they find, but some might slip through. No organization has the resources to survey all of the places or pathways LFA could travel. If you have brought any soil, potted plants, or vehicles from off-island in the last year, take time to test for LFA. Waiting until you are stung is too late.

“I’m tremendously careful now,” says Johnson. “Someone just told me the other day they got a magnolia tree from the Big Island. My first thought was: how well did you test it?”

To learn more about the little fire ant, including detailed instructions for how to survey, visit the Hawai‘i Ant Lab’s website at littlefireants.com. The HDOA site at  hdoa.hawaii.gov/pi/main/lfainfo/ has updated information on spread. If you suspect you may have LFA, please don’t try to treat them yourself– contact MISC at 573-6472 or the Maui branch of HDOA at 872-2848. “The issue is so frightening,” says Johnson. “I’m born and raised here, so I’ve seen many things change. The only time to deal with something like this is before it’s a disaster.”

By Lissa Fox Strohecker. Originally published in the Maui News, May 11th, 2014 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column from the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

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

PR/Outreach: Lissa Strohecker
E-mail: miscpr@hawaii.edu

Statewide Pest Hotline: 808-643-PEST
Report a Pest Online