MISC Target Species — Page 4 — Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

Pampas Gone Wild-Haipua‘ena Part 3

Posted on November 23, 2011 by MISC Leave a Comment

In the final installment of the “Pampas Gone Wild” series, we’ll cover some of the key identification features of pampas grass that differentiate it from the native sedge, Carex. These features can also be used to identify immature pampas in other habitats.

There’s an immature pampas grass in this photo…any guesses?

Zoom in for a closer look.

A young pampas closely resembles a native sedge, Carex. First look for the flat leaf of pampas.

Compared that with the "corrugated" leaf of Carex.

Another key feature of pampas is the razor sharp serrated leaf edges, shown clearly in this photo. This feature is easy to find by running your finger carefully along the edge, even on very young seedlings.

This series was brought to you with the help of the above members of the MISC field crew, Summer 2011: Paul Gonzalez (SCA), Brooke Mahnken (GIS and Data Specialist), Chris Radford (Crew Leader), Matt Fairall (SCA), Frank Ritenour (SCA), and Abe Vandenberg (Field Crew and Outreach). Thanks for your good and muddy work out there!

If you think you have seen a pampas grass in Hawaii, please contact your local Invasive Species Committee. Many Mahalos!

Pampas Gone Wild-Haipua‘ena Part 2

Posted on November 21, 2011 by MISC Leave a Comment

Here’s a young, but mature, pampas grass in a mostly native rainforest…pulling this guy up will leave a big hole in the groundcover, a hole means a foothold for another invasive species, in many ways doing more harm than good.

But if we leave the plant alone we’ll continue to loose our watershed and native species to this high-threat invasive plant. How can we remove it? Keep reading…

1. Remove the seed-heads.

2. Tie the pampas in a knot. this is what we refer to as the “ponytail” method; bringing all the pampas leaves together makes it easier to treat and marks the plant as one we’ve treated.

3. Bury the seed-heads deep within the plant. This keeps the seeds from dispersing on the wind, likely how this plant arrived here in the first place.

4. With the seed-heads tucked away and the plant tied together crews can apply a low-concentration herbicide directly to the plant (another benefit of the ponytail method-no over-spray). Within a month the plant will be dead and beginning to decompose and native vegetation will be intact and poised to reclaim this patch of invaded rainforest. The location of each plant we control is recorded with a GPS so it can be monitored in the future to ensure no seedlings have germinated.

There you have it-how to control invasive pampas grass a native rainforest on Maui.

Stay posted to learn how to spot a pampas grass.

The sun sets on another day of field work in the remote rainforest of East Maui

Pampas Gone Wild-Haipua‘ena part 1

Posted on November 1, 2011 by MISC Leave a Comment

Pampas grass or Cortaderia jubata with it’s wind-dispersed seeds readily escapes cultivation. Tackling established populations far from civilization takes some work…check out the work in one of our remote field camps–Haipua‘ena.

Helicopters bring the gear and materials out for both the crew and for building a new platform out of the mud.

The crew prepares to start hiking in. Along the way they’ll be searching for pampas.

The boardwalk running along the Waikamoi flume…the easy part.

A dead pampas grass…excellent!

A not-so-dead pampas grass…not excellent.

Very lively and seeding pampas grass…euuuwwh

Check back to see how we treat pampas grass in this kind of environment!

A most unwanted neighbor–coqui frogs

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Lissa Strohecker Leave a Comment

A coqui frog hiding on a landscape plant

A recent trip to Hilo highlighted the impact coqui frogs can have on our quality of life. It was not just the chorus heard throughout town and in my hotel room, but the fact that they could be heard while having dinner, enjoying a beach park and hiking through native forests. They’re everywhere. Recent estimates indicate that coqui have infested more than 60,000 acres of East Hawaii, from the ocean to 4,000 feet in elevation. With Hawaii County now planning to liquidate its coqui-control equipment, this noisy neighbor seems to have become a permanent resident on the island of Hawaii.

My work creates many opportunities to talk about coqui, and I am often asked why they are perceived as a nuisance in Hawaii when they are beloved in their native home of Puerto Rico.

One consideration is that they have no natural enemies here and can reach population densities more than twice that of their native range. This may cause significant problems for native insects (which they eat), change soil composition to the benefit of non-native plant species and compete with Hawaii’s native birds for food. Possible economic impacts in infested areas include diminished property values and sales, a change in the quality of visitor experiences due to their persistent nocturnal calls and decreased sales in the floriculture and nursery industry.

During my short visit to Hilo, I learned that a colleague with deep ties to Hawaii agriculture was facing the prospect of moving and foregoing personal professional opportunities, primarily because of the coqui. These experiences strengthened my motivation to keep coqui from becoming widely established on Maui.

Signage indicating the coqui-free status of a local business.

Coqui are believed to have been introduced to Hawaii by hitchhiking on plants or associated products in the late 1980s. Since then, coqui have shown up on most of the main Hawaiian Islands, in California, and Guam on plant shipments. This is still the primary avenue for dispersal, particularly from heavily infested areas. To help minimize the risk of introducing coqui to your neighborhood, the Maui Invasive Species Committee started a coqui-free certification program. The voluntary program encourages plant industry participants to adopt specific practices to reduce movement via the nursery trade. If you see a business designated as “coqui-free,” you can feel confident that you will not be purchasing coqui along with your plants or plant products.

Like the Big Island, Maui has coqui. Unlike the Big Island, Maui has only six infested areas, which cover an estimated 227 acres. Eleven population centers (areas with five or more calling males) have been removed since 2004. Five others have very low numbers of coqui. Really, only one substantial population remains. Maui has kept populations from becoming established by quickly responding to reports of new coqui locations. Although new introductions from infested areas are a constant concern for Maui residents, quickly identifying and capturing a few rogue males typically prevents a couple of coqui from becoming thousands. Left unchecked or unreported, coqui populations on Maui would be sure to rival East Hawaii at some point.

The author preparing a large-volume sprinkler for citric acid delivery.

In Haiku, for example, an area that once had low numbers of coqui has now spilled over into a steep-sided gulch. Efforts have begun to remove coqui from the 225-acre area by applying a 12 to 16 percent solution of citric acid (a food additive). But challenging terrain and trying to work at night (when coqui are most active) have demanded the development of creative citric application tools. These include fixed-line sprinklers, high-volume sprayers and even limited use of a helicopter in inaccessible areas. Although daunting, successful control efforts over the last four years have shown that the key to preventing coqui from permanently establishing is early detection of new locations, repeated systematic treatment of known populations and removal of frog-friendly habitat.

Unfortunately, even the combined resources of state and county agencies on Hawaii, as well as regular outings by community-based coqui control groups, have been no match for the coqui.

On Maui, we only have one large population left. We still have a strong chance to become and remain coqui-free. Please help by calling the Maui Invasive Species Committee at 573-MISC (6472) if you happen to hear a coqui frog.

More information about the coqui-free program can be found at www.coquifreemaui.org.

Adam Radford is the operations manager for the Maui Invasive Species Committee. He manages MISC’s efforts to control invasive plants, animals, and banana bunchy top virus.

Originally published in the Maui News, March 14, 2010 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column.
You can find all the articles in the Kia‘i Moku series http://www.hear.org/misc/mauinews/

Residents urged to report unusual stinging fire ants

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Lissa Strohecker 2 Comments

An infestation of the much-dreaded little fire ant (LFA), Wasmannia auropunctata, was discovered on a farm in Waihee, Maui, in early October of 2009, the first known LFA foothold on the island. As reported in the Oct. 16 Maui News, Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) will be working with the owner to eradicate the ½-acre infestation; LFA may have been at this site for a year. These tiny pale-orange ants deliver painful stings that develop into large red welts; some people are more sensitive to them than others. LFA may be perceived by many as less of a threat than the red imported fire ant but is nevertheless a very serious pest that can attain high densities, and its powerful sting poses problems for domestic animals, wildlife, agricultural workers and others who come in contact with it. When populations build up outdoors, they eventually come indoors and sting people in their homes. In this regard it is actually worse than the other “imported fire ants” on the mainland.

An entire colony of the little fire ant can fit inside a macadamia nut shell. Photo by Hawaii Department of Agriculture

Native to South and Central America, LFA has invaded locations in West Africa, Florida, the Galapagos Islands, several Pacific island nations (New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Tahiti), Israel, and Australia.

Though LFA was first detected in Hawaii on the Big Island in March 1999, it is believed to have been there for at least four years before it was discovered; a lag between invasion and detection is regarded as “normal.” In retrospect, LFA likely had reached Hawaii from Florida; genotypes of Hawaii LFA are essentially identical to some LFA specimens from the Lake Placid area of central Florida. As soon as LFA was discovered in Puna in 1999, HDOA realized the seriousness of the situation. They developed a pest advisory and assigned an entomologist to lead efforts to address this new invasion, involving detection, experimental efforts at eradication of local populations, and inter-island quarantine.

A 2005 review of HDOA’s efforts to address this serious ant pest suggested that they were “hindered by low staffing levels; lack of public and commercial awareness; lack of access to nursery sales records; the difficulty of detecting this ant; lack of a registered ant control product for use in orchard fruit and vegetable crops; the failure of most people to take the threat of its invasion seriously. HDOA demurred from an all out eradication effort and enactment of an intra-island quarantine to prevent infected nurseries from selling plants.” The fact that some plant nurseries were infested and probably selling infested plants made containment virtually impossible. By September 1999, LFA was known to occupy 30 acres in three populations. By January 2004, there were known to be 31 populations totaling nearly 200 acres; eight of the populations at that time involved nursery infestations and the nurseries were still selling plants. LFA is currently coalescing in Hilo and Puna, much as coqui frogs are doing.

Don't confuse the little fire ant with the much larger and widespread tropical fire ant (above). Photo courtesy of HDOA

Maui has been determined to keep this ant out. Early detection efforts have been underway here for almost a decade, some involving students in intermediate and high schools. HDOA has implemented largely effective interisland quarantine that has at least helped to delay the infestation for a decade. What’s next?

Maui residents have shown impressive resolve in keeping the coqui frog confined to a relatively few areas, and coqui eradication is still considered a possibility. Most on Maui consider LFA a much more serious pest than coqui. We have the advantage of being able to learn from the Big Island’s experience. Obviously, the community needs to play a major supporting role if there is to be hope of sustained LFA eradication. One way to prevent LFA from being established is to report unusual stinging ants. True to their name LFA are small, about as long as a penny is thick, with a sting disproportionate to their size. Please call HDOA at 873-3962 or MISC at 573-6472 if you think you may have found LFA.

Will Maui citizens be able to pull together to effectively address the LFA threat?

Visit www.lfa-hawaii.org to report an infestation or www.littlefireants.org to learn more.

By Committee Member Lloyd Loope. Dr. Loope is a research scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey stationed at the Haleakala Field Station. He holds a doctorate in botany from Duke University and is an active member of the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Originally published in the Maui News, September 14, 2009 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column.
You can find all the articles in the Kia‘i Moku series http://www.hear.org/misc/mauinews/

Mullein came to fight erosion, exists as threat to silversword, other plants

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Lissa Strohecker Leave a Comment

By Joylnn Paman

Originally published in the Maui News, September 10, 2006 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column.

The slopes of Haleakalā are the only home for some of the rarest plants and animals in the world. Among them, `āhinahina, the Haleakalā silversword grows for up to 50 years before flowering and casting its seeds for the next generation to the wind. To protect these and other native species the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) partners, including Haleakalā National Park, are on the lookout for invasive plants and animals that could threaten this delicate environment.

Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is one such invader. It was first introduced to the Island of Hawai`i for erosion control in the early 1900’s and has since become well established on Big Island volcanic slopes. Scientists have observed that mullein out-competes other plants and grows to an abnormally large size, particularly at higher elevations on Hawai`i. This has raised concern that mullein would quickly invade and out-compete native plants in the higher elevation habitats on Haleakalā.

This Eurasian plant has become a widely established weed throughout temperate areas of the world. Its gray-green, felt-like leaves range from 4-12 inches long and 1-5 inches wide. Mullein grows in a low rosette for the first year or two and at maturity sprouts up an erect stalk with yellow flowers. This pest grows up to 10 feet tall and can invade elevations from sea level to above 10,000 feet.

Several characteristics make mullein all too successful as an invasive plant. Although noted for the ability to quickly colonize disturbed areas, it does not require disturbance to rapidly invade the loose volcanic cinders and `a`ā lava in Hawai`i. This weed grows in dense thickets displacing slower growing and longer maturing native species, such as the silversword. Like the silversword, protective hairs on the leaves of mullein reflect the intense alpine sunlight, pre-adapting this weed for the arid conditions on Haleakalā.

Unlike the silversword, mullein produces large quantities of seed, which remain viable for long periods of time. Each mature mullein plant sprouts a flowering stalk, which develops up to 150,000 seeds. Seeds may remain dormant for over 100 years, waiting for favorable environmental conditions or dispersal into suitable habitats. With silverswords taking up to 50 years to seed compared to just two or three years for mullein, it is easy to imagine how mullein might displace `āhinahina. Because of these invasive characteristics and the high risk to native species, mullein was declared a Hawai`i State Noxious Weed in 1992. In the late 1980’s, two immature mullein plants were found in Haleakalā National Park along the roadside leading up to the summit and were immediately destroyed. None have been found in the park since. Soon after that first incident, it was discovered that an upcountry nursery raised mullein and sold it to a number of homes. When informed by park staff of the ecological threat, the nursery agreed to halt sales and destroy the remaining stock. This cooperation sparked an article in The Maui News urging mullein purchasers to destroy their plants.

It is difficult to know if everyone destroyed their plants and there’s always the possibility that there are new locations. Just this summer, a new site was discovered Upcountry. MISC was notified and responded immediately. The plant was killed and the seeds were collected. The cooperative landowner is now monitoring the property for additional plants that may sprout in the future.

Today, early detection of mullein is critical to keeping Maui Nui free of this pest. Do your part to stop the spread of this and other invasive species. Do not purchase, sell or import unknown plants. Learn how to identify mullein and report possible locations to the Maui Invasive Species Committee at 573-6472.

Check out all of the MISC articles in the Kia`i Moku series at: www.hear.org/misc/mauinews/

All hands can be part of defense against Miconia invasion

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Lissa Strohecker Leave a Comment

: Makawao residents point to where a miconia seedling grew out of their hapu`u fern in Makawao

: Large miconia leaves act as umbrellas, shading out sunlight

In April of 2006, a Makawao resident noticed an unusual plant growing in his yard. It had large leaves with purple undersides. Curious, he did some research and discovered it was miconia – a plant native to Central and South America that is invading Maui’s rain forests. Surprised by his findings, he immediately called the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC). MISC staff investigated and was stunned to find a miconia seedling growing out of a hāpu‘u fern in Makawao! To date, miconia was known only from East Maui (one intentional planting in West Maui had been eradicated). Because the resident knew the origin of the hāpu‘u (Big Island), MISC surmised that a tiny miconia seed had hitched a ride on a hāpu‘u harvested from a miconia-infested area and sprouted three years later. The miconia plant was young and had not seeded, a plus for the environment. Left undetected, the plant would have quickly matured, eventually releasing ten to twenty million seeds each year into an area thought to be miconia-free.

Miconia was first introduced to Maui in the 1960’s as an ornamental plant in Hāna, then quickly spread to the surrounding forests. By 1993, one plant had multiplied into thousands, distributed over a 2,000-acre area. Alarmed by miconia’s potential to overwhelm available resources, conservation agencies pulled together and formed the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC), a voluntary partnership to protect Maui County from invasive plants and animals. Over the years, MISC’s focus broadened to include many other invasive species, but miconia continues to be the top priority plant target. MISC now has a full-time crew searching for and destroying miconia over thousands of acres in East Maui.

Miconia leaves can grow to be the size of a small child, averaging 2-3 ft long and 1 ft wide. The leaf has a dark purple underside, oval shape, and 3 distinct veins. In its native environment of South and Central America, miconia’s large leaves help the plant capture limited sunlight in dense, dark forests. On Maui, the forest structure has a more open canopy, so many native plants have not developed a tolerance for dense shade. Miconia’s leaves act as “light” umbrellas, casting a deep and often deadly shade over native vegetation.

A characteristic common to many invasive plants is the ability to produce large quantities of seeds that remain dormant for a long time. Miconia is no exception. Each mature plant can produce millions of seeds per year, which may not germinate for another 8–10 years. The rapid spread of miconia in East Maui has been aided by unintentional movement of these tiny seeds, as small as a grain of sand. Birds, hunters, hikers, vehicles, and even the movement of other plants, can bring miconia to new areas.

You can help combat the spread of miconia. Learn how to identify the plant. A good resource for photos and information is www.mauiisc.org. Always clean your shoes and gear before and after hiking. Know the origin of plants that you purchase. If you think you have found miconia, report the location to 573-MISC (6472). If you have miconia on your property, allow MISC to control it free of charge. Just by doing these simple preventive measures, you are helping to keep Maui nō ka ‘oi. Keep an eye out for this new monthly column to learn how you can protect Maui from invasive plants and animals that are threatening Maui County.

By Joylnn Paman
Originally published in the Maui News, August 13, 2006 as part of the Kia‘i Moku Column. Check out all of the MISC articles in the Kia`i Moku series at: www.hear.org/misc/mauinews/

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