Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

Haʻikū Residents bring back quiet nights through MISC Community Coqui Control Program

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Haʻikū communities are taking back their quiet nights from noisy, invasive coqui frogs, with tools and training from the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC). MISC is currently working with five Haʻikū neighborhoods –Haʻikū Hill, Haʻikū Mauka, Haʻikū Makai, Lower Kokomo and Akoa/Ala Olu/Makaio. The program is ready to assist and empower more Haʻikū residents in the fight against this invasive species to protect their way of life and health of our native ecosystems.

Ha’ikū residents support each other in controlling coqui frogs on their properties with support from MISCʻs Community Coqui Control Program.

MISC recognized that in addition to strong support from the County of Maui and State of Hawai’i, containing and eradicating coqui in Haʻikū would require strong engagement at a neighborhood level. MISC launched the program to support and expand on existing community coqui control efforts by residents. MISC provides training, equipment, and citric acid solution (a food additive mixed with water). Community members provide boots on the ground – removing vegetation, hauling hoses, and dousing infested areas with citric acid solution. And it’s working. According to Haʻikū Hill team leader John Phelps, “Spraying each month has reduced the number of frogs on each property from hundreds to only a handful.” Neighbors working together can be more effective than independent control efforts, as coqui can quickly move into untreated areas or reinfest properties without a consistent effort. Participants report an additional benefit: the program is a good opportunity to get involved and meet their neighbors. MISC follows all social distancing and mask-wearing protocols whenever working in the community and all control work is conducted outdoors.

A Haʻikū residents sprays citric acid to control coqui on his property.

MISC provides different levels of support, depending on community need and participation. Individual residents can receive free powdered citric acid to control coqui on their property once MISC has confirmed that coqui are present. Residents can also borrow a 9-gallon walk-behind sprayer or a 100-gallon sprayer that fits in the back of a pickup truck. MISC provides training on how to effectively use the sprayers. 

When three or more neighbors agree to work together across their properties, MISC provides a 100-gallon sprayer to participating residents every six weeks and helps residents with spray operations if needed. For larger groups of neighbors (at least nine committed households, plus a person  who serves as a point of contact) MISC provides a reservoir of pre-mixed citric acid during the specified control week on a six week rotation. Participants report that having mixed citric acid in advance has been a “game changer” as it allows the team to focus directly on control activities. In two neighborhoods, the community groups proposed using a pipeline to effectively treat a larger area. MISC and the residents worked together to design and install the systems.

MISC provides a variety of sprayers to residents wanting to control coqui frogs on their properties.

Over the years, MISC has been able to eradicate 21 coqui populations on the island. Abe Vandenberg, MISC Coqui Field Coordinator, says the key to those successes has been persistence and consistency. He emphasizes the importance of community efforts, noting record levels of participation last summer, “Local engagement is a huge help to the island-wide coqui control strategy. As more community members help remove coqui from their own backyards, they allow MISC staff to take on more challenging work in the gulches and other areas with difficult access. Working the process of small wins will lead us toward the biggest possible success –  a coqui-free Maui.”

Mark Blietz Receives 2020 Mālama i ka ʻĀina Award

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Mark Blietz, owner of Northshore Tropicals in Haʻikū, is the 2020 recipient of the Mālama i ka ʻĀina. The award is given each year to recognize the efforts of individuals in the landscape and agricultural community towards stopping the spread of invasive species in Maui County. The award is presented by the Maui Invasive Species Committee, the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals, and the County of Maui.

Blietz is a well-known nursery owner who has led by example throughout his career, both in the landscaping community and throughout Maui. He and his family have been in the nursery business for over 30 years and throughout that time, he has been active locally in the Maui Orchid Society and nationally as a judge in the American Orchid Society. Blietz has been proactive in dealing with invasive species and urges others to do the same. When the stinging nettle caterpillar arrived to Maui in 2008, he started controlling it around his nursery himself to keep from spreading it – he continues to control invasive species, currently working to keep coqui and ivy gourd out of his nursery.

But it was his generosity over the last year that led to his nomination for the award. The Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) needed temporary storage and facilities to keep their crews working after they lost access to the facility they had been in for over a decade. Blietz shared his property and barn, keeping MISC operational until a new baseyard became available. “Mark saved the day for MISC…MISC couldn’t have kept working to protect Maui County from invasive species without his help” said Adam Radford, MISC Manager, in acknowledgement of Blietz’s efforts.

In accepting the award, Blietz encouraged community action. “There’s so much that we, as stewards of the land, can do to protect our ʻāina from invasive species. Simply being able to identify them and letting them [MISC] know” he said.

Mark Blietz, recipient of 2020 Mālama i ka ʻĀina Award, pictured at his Haʻikū nursery.


Due to Covid-19, the award was presented In a small, socially distanced award ceremony in Haʻikū. The presenters included Makaleʻa Ane, Resilience Officer with the County of Maui, Allison Wright, President of the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals, and Adam Radford, Manager of the Maui Invasive Species Committee. This year’s commemorative plaque featured a sculpture of an ʻiliahi branch (the native sandalwood) by glass artist Jupiter Nielsen.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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: Serena Fukushima
E-mail: miscpr@hawaii.edu

Statewide Pest Hotline: 808-643-PEST
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