Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

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

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Lissa Strohecker

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.

Filed Under: Home Slider, Little Fire Ants, Uncategorized Tagged With: little fire ant infestation maui 2020

Coqui Community Engagement Questionnaire Results

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Susan Frett 2 Comments

Mahalo to everyone who responded to our Community Engagement Questionnaire that MISC sent out in April. We have heard a lot of great feedback and ideas from the community. 

The goal of the questionnaire was two-fold: first, to determine how we could assist people during the stay at home order and secondly, to gather feedback to improve the coqui program in the future. 

Thanks to one respondent, we learned of and are responding to a new pocket of frogs near the reservoir off Kokomo in Haʻikū. Recently she sent this update:  “I woke up at 3 am and took a moment to listen outside. I didn’t hear any coqui! I will listen again this evening. Mahalo to you & the crew!” This report highlights our need for community members across Maui to be our ears on the ground. Mahalo for letting us know about these frogs! 

As the weather continues to warm into the summer months the frogs will be more vocal. Please let us know what you are hearing especially if you hear them in a new area. We cannot always respond to reports right away but do prioritize responding to reports of frogs in new areas. Please report if you hear frogs where you haven’t heard them before. As one respondent said: “This neighborhood does not have coqui frogs YET.  If I were to hear one or more I would immediately inform my neighbors and urge ACTION!” Thanks for your enthusiasm! Don’t forget to report it to MISC too! 

Report coqui frogs using the MISC Coqui Report form.

Coqui Crew in Action, May 2020

Sixty-seven people responded to the questionnaire, 36 from the four existing neighborhood groups that have organized spray weeks and 31 from the wider Maui community. Between April 17th and May 9th, 633 pounds of citric were delivered to 17 separate locations in East Maui to people working to control coqui in their own yards. We will continue to deliver small (1.28 lb) and large (50 lb) bags for as long as our baseyard is closed to the public. Get in touch via the coqui report form to request citric if needed.

No Contact Citric Delivery
No Contact Citric Delivery, May 2020

A frequent response to the questionnaire was a variation on the theme “Bring the Big Sprayers” with people requesting everything from borrowing one of our 100-gallon sprayer tanks to the crew treating the gulches again. We will have the 100-gallon sprayers available again once our baseyard is open to the public. The crew has been out Monday – Thursday doing work on outlying populations and new pockets to keep those from getting out of control. 

Some of the responses were really cool suggestions for educational campaigns. Ideas included  reaching out to landscaping companies, translating our information into the languages most often spoken by those in the local landscape industry, sharing coqui related research, alternatives to citric acid as a control method, and continuing to do outreach to other areas of Maui about the risks posed if coqui continue to spread. 

Additionally people requested help with green waste removal, training on how to properly use citric acid, and information about what sprayers are most useful for personal use. Six respondents asked for help with neighbors, varying from developing new neighborhood coqui control groups to motivating people who don’t currently control coqui on their properties.

As a result, MISC is developing new online resources, looking into options to support the disposal of green waste created by coqui habitat control work, researching additional options for our equipment loan program, developing new handouts about coqui control, and planning new training options to help get more people involved in the coqui control effort.

Coqui-Free Neighborhood Sign
Community Coqui Control Sign

Thank you again to everyone who responded to the questionnaire! The questionnaire is still accepting responses here. Additionally, please feel free to reach out to the Coqui Community Engagement Coordinator, Susan Frett at skfrett@hawaii.edu or 808-269-2728 with additional feedback or questions.

 
Sign up for continued updates and news about coqui frogs and all things MISC.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Social media posts help MISC catch coqui frogs

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Susan Frett 2 Comments

Hand captured coqui frog
Coqui frog captured by hand (example image from April 29, 2020)

Updated May 18, 2020

Late in the evening on May 12th, 2020 people across Maui started reacting to a video posted on Facebook of coqui frogs calling in the plants outside a large nursery in Central Maui. The notifications for the MISC Facebook page were flooding in as people sent messages, shared the video, and tagged MISC in their comments to the video on other pages.  Many people also filled out the Coqui Report form on our webpage. Mahalo for all of your reports!

Early the next morning, before MISC could even start preparing to respond to the location, we learned that one of our awesome, longtime staff, Darrell Aquino, had quashed the outbreak! Darrell’s daughter, a former MISC Coqui Crew member, had seen the video on Facebook and let him know about it. Being a take-charge person, as well as an experienced MISC coqui field supervisor since 2005, Darrell went out to the location at 10:30pm on the 12th.

As all who watched the video that was shared or have heard coqui in person know, the males emit a loud two-toned call. By listening and whistling back to the frog, Darrell was able to track down and hand capture a single frog in the plants for sale outside the nursery. Additionally, Darrell learned from the local security person that the store manager captured a second frog. 

Darrell sharing his knowledge with the coqui crew January 30, 2020

Mahalo to Darrell and the nursery store manager for their quick action! The area where the frogs were found is currently quarantined – plants are not being sold from there.

Mahalo to Darrell, and the nursery store manager, for their quick action! The area where the frogs were found has been treated with citric by HDOA and is currently being monitored throughout the evenings by store staff. Nursery employees will report any additional coqui frogs to HDOA who will respond if needed

Mahalo to the Maui community for taking action and drawing attention to this incipient invasive species threat. Unfortunately, other invasive species are not as vocal. We all need to be vigilant to limit the spread of all invasive species. 

You can help! Prevent the spread of invasive species on Maui

  • Purchase locally-grown plants whenever possible – pest species hitchhike on cargo moving long distances.
  • Inspect all new plants and landscaping materials brought on to your property.
  • Isolate new plants and landscaping materials for a few days and inspect them again.
  • Do a self-test to inspect for little fire ants, check out this video to learn how. 
  • Report MISC target invasive species 
  • Support funding for more inspectors and rapid response at the county and state level.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: coqui crew, coqui frog

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

Posted on September 30, 2019 by Lissa Strohecker

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!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: anna palamino, landscaper award Maui, malama i ka aina award

Protected: Documents for MISC Meeting-March 20, 2014

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Lissa Strohecker

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

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Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)
Office: (808) 573-6472
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PO Box 983, Makawao, HI 96768

Manager: Adam Radford
E-mail:miscmgr@hawaii.edu

PR/Outreach: Serena Fukushima

E-mail:miscpr@hawaii.edu

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