Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)

Outreach and Education Update: October – December 2020

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Reaching out while staying physically distant has diversified MISC’s outreach methods and it hasn’t always meant more technology. In late September, MISC received a report of suspect ants; quick identifications and follow-up surveys confirmed our fears. Once we identified them as little fire ants, we needed to alert the community. Because Covid-19 prohibited community gatherings, MISC sent mailers throughout Ha‘ikū to alert neighbors to the new detection and to ask residents to collect ants from their yards. Over the next six weeks, nearly 40 residents mailed in samples – none of which turned out to be little fire ants. The community samples helped assure us that the new infestation covers a small area. The Kaupakalua report is not the first time that community reports have helped find and stop an LFA infestation– citizens have detected 11 of the 17 known populations on Maui.

Mailers alerted the Ha‘ikū community to the presence of little fire ants and concerned residents responded with nearly 40 samples of ants.

 Little fire ants are beyond control on Hawaiʻi Island which means the likelihood of new incursions remains a perpetual threat. The Invasive Species Committees (ISCs) throughout the state collaborate on an annual little fire ant awareness campaign, Stop the Ant Month. Through public service announcements, social media posts, and online interviews, the ISCs collaborated to encourage the public to help stop the spread of invasive ants. As long as infestations are found early before they have a chance to spread, we can keep little fire ants at bay. Learn more about LFA and collect samples from your yard. Visit: stoptheant.org.

Can you spot the ant? Finding invasive ants early is key to containing and eliminating them.

All presentations, workshops, and volunteer activities offered by outreach staff this quarter were virtual. In October, the Maui Mauka Conservation Awareness Training program offered two workshops. Featured guest speakers were Jenni Learned with the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project, who discussed seabird threats and protection efforts, and Keahi Bustamente with the Department of Land and Natural Resources presenting on native snails of Hawaiʻi and Maui. 

Ha‘ikū nurseryman Mark Blietz, the owner of Northshore Tropicals, received this year’s Mālama i ka ʻĀina award, which is jointly sponsored by the County of Maui, the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals, and MISC. 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 in 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. Historically, the award is presented at the Arbor Day Maui Garden Expo, but due to the pandemic, the ceremony took place at his Ha‘ikū nursery. MISC filmed the event, which included presenting Blietz with a glass sculpture of an ʻiliahi (Hawaiian sandalwood) created by Jupiter Nielsen. You can view the presentation on MISC’s YouTube Channel here: https://youtu.be/uE-ffSzW1e0

Mark Blietz received the 2020 Mālama i ka ʻĀina award ceremony. From left to right: Mark Blietz of Northshore Topicals, Allison Wright of the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals, Adam Radford of MISC, Makaleʻa Ane of the County of Maui.

Through the Kiaʻi Moku column in the Maui News, MISC covered the following topics: different ant species such as the trap-jaw ant, red-imported fire ant, and little fire ant; research findings about efforts to address rapid ʻōhiʻa death; and the importance of dark skies to protect young seabirds from predators during the fledging season. Other media mentions referred to press releases about the new little fire ant infestation in Haʻikū and the community coqui control program. MISC’s LFA coordinator Brooke Mahnken and PR specialist Lissa Strohecker were interviewed by Catherine Cruz for Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s “The Conversation.” The discussion highlighted MISC’s efforts to treat the little fire ant infestation in Nāhiku by helicopter.

Through websites and social media outlets, MISC reached an estimated 31,844 people during October, November, and December. Stop the Ant Month activities and efforts to expand MISC’s following on social media helped drive strong online engagement with the public. Staff also increased efforts to connect through e-mail lists and social media. To stay up to date about MISC activities, sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

In November, MISC welcomed Serena Fukushima as MISC’s new public relations and education specialist. Born and raised on the island of Oʻahu, Serena moved to Maui in 2012. She helped support Haleakalā National Park’s internship program and then worked as the Nā Hua Ho‘ohuli i ka Pono internship program manager. Lissa Strohecker will be collaborating with Serena on MISC outreach projects over the next several months.

MISC will be offering virtual classroom presentations based on the Hōʻike o Haleakalā curriculum. If you are interested in having MISC as a guest speaker for your class, contact us at miscpr@hawaii.edu

You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

Other species updates from this quarter are below:

Early Detection Crew Update: October – December 2020

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MISC’s Early Detection team, Forest and Kim Starr, identify the ants collected by staff and submitted by the public. In the process of sorting ants, the Starrs found two ant species not previously detected on Maui or Molokai, Pseudomyrmex gracilis (Mexican twig ant) and Solenopsis abdita. These species may have been present for many years but went undetected because few people were out looking. The Starrs submitted voucher specimens to the University of Hawai‘i Insect Museum and the records will be published in the Bishop Museum’s Occasional Papers series. Surveys conducted at the Kahului airport as part of the statewide Māmalu Poepoe project detected no coconut rhinoceros beetles, little fire ants, Africanized honeybees, or honeybee pests such as varroa mite. No news can be good news!

The early detection team found Celosia argentea (cockscomb) growing on the side of ʻĪao Stream. This plant has never before been documented on Maui.

Additional new detections by the Early Detection team included Salvia hispanica (chia) in the wild in the Piʻiholo area, – a new state record as this plant has not been found growing in the wild before – and Celosia argentea (cockscomb) from the side of ʻĪao Stream – a new island record.  The team sent the names of these new species to the Hawaiʻi Public Weed Risk Assessment program to determine potential invasiveness. The vouchers will be housed at Bishop Museum to confirm the identity and provide a reference for future researchers. Additionally, the records will be published in the Bishop Museum Occasional Papers to keep the records of Hawaiian flora up to date.  

During surveys at Kahului Airport done as part of the Māmalu Poepoe program, Kim Starr checks a trap designed to attract the coconut rhinoceros beetle. No beetles were detected.

The Early Detection team also maintains Hawaiʻi Plant and Insect ID sites on Flickr where they provide free identifications to conservation professionals and the public. Over the last quarter, they identified 40 plant and 21 insect species.

You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

Other species updates from this quarter are below:

Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee Update: October – December 2020

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As the MoMISC field crew was conducting roadside surveys in south-central Molokai last December, they found a surprise: saplings of the invasive Ficus religiosa (Bo tree) sprouting from the crook of a mango tree. Because ficus can spread so readily, the crew conducted roadside surveys across hundreds of acres near this invasive fig. Good news – they found no other plants! Roadside surveys help with the early detection of pests and create an opportunity for community education and outreach.

  • Surveys on Molokai

Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) is now established in Kualapu’u, Ho’olehua, Pala’au, and more recently, Maunaloa. Previous to the December 2020 detection of BBTV, there had only been one other known occurrence of BBTV in the Kaunakakai/Kawela area and none so far in East Molokai. Banana aphids spread the disease from plant to plant, but the only way the virus can move long-distance is when people move plants. The best way to keep banana populations free of BBTV is to avoid transporting banana plants, plant parts, or planting materials from a known BBTV infestation to an area without BBTV. 

Other Molokai highlights include: 

Mule’s foot fern (Angiopteris evecta): Staff surveyed over 40 acres within the Molokai Forest Reserve area, controlling five mature and 13 immature plants. Known for its rounded trunk and gigantic leaves, mules’ foot fern is a pest species that MoMISC continues to monitor and control in the forests of Molokai. 

Quail bush (Atriplex lentiformis): The crew surveyed 1,310 acres of roadside from Maunaloa to Hālawa (nearly one end of the island to the other). These surveys resulted in zero detections — a promising sign that control efforts worked and the species is in decline. Quail bush is adaptive to various environments and habitat conditions. On Molokai, this species invades roadside areas across the island.

MoMISC crews plan to revisit the known rubber vine (Cryptostegia madagascariensis) sites across the island, removing any new or previously undetected plants. Staff will continue testing for little fire ants and monitoring coconut rhinoceros beetle traps at ports of entry. In preparation for the potential threat of coffee-leaf rust (recently detected on Maui), crews will compile archived data and collect information on populations of wild coffee on Molokai.

  • Quail bush is a roadside pest on Molokai. The MoMISC crew surveyed 1,310 acres of roadside looking for this plant with no detections!

You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

Other species updates from this quarter are below:

Hāna Plant Crew Update: October – December 2020

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The Hāna crew focused on protecting the East Maui Watershed by seeking out and removing miconia plants. A short-term crew assisted with work in East Maui. The additional crew of six brought the Hāna team to 12, the largest the crew has been in years. They focused on removing plants along roadways, including the Hāna Highway. Miconia seeds may be accidentally spread by passing cars or in soil along these corridors. Additionally, they worked to protect upper elevation watersheds and responded to new reports. Overall, the Hāna team removed more than 500 mature miconia plants and almost 9,000 immature plants across nearly 400 acres.

  • Hiking through the bushes searching for miconia is hard work with scenic views.

It wasn’t just reports of miconia that the crew followed up on – in December they received three coqui frog reports.  Luckily, no coqui were found and the Hāna and Ke’anae community continue to be coqui-free. The Hāna miconia crew helped clear access trails for little fire ant work in the Ka’elekū area and Twin Falls. These trails allow staff to thoroughly survey for the evasive ant.

You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

Other species updates from this quarter are below:

Pāʻia Plant Crew Update: October – December 2020

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In mid-October, the Pāʻia-based plant crew wrapped up another season of helicopter seek and destroy missions to remove the invasive ornamental pampas grass. The pampas season typically begins in April. Since then, the crew has searched 10,560 acres and taken out 1,330 plants. In doing so, they are preventing this highly invasive grass from spreading into the native forests of East and West Maui. The plant crew also continued to make progress on eradicating the Puʻu o Kali fountain grass site. When MISC staff first visited the site, they found hundreds of plants; on the most recent survey, only seven mature plants remained.

  • Can you spot the pampas grass? Aerial helicopter surveys allow the crew to find these invasive grasses and remove them on the steep mountain slopes of West Maui and remote areas of East Maui.

Both pampas grass and fountain grass promote wildfire and overtake habitats that were once dominated by native species.  On Hawaiʻi Island, fountain grass is rampant and beyond eradication, but in Maui County, only scattered infestations have sprung up, sometimes arriving via contaminated soil, sometimes unwittingly planted.  Currently, the only known fountain grass populations are in Pu’u o Kali, with the crew regularly returning to remove any seedlings. The crew continued work on an ivy gourd population in Waiheʻe, at one of the few sites where this aggressive vine has taken root outside of residential yards or golf courses. Removal efforts are proving successful.

  • Fountain grass is an invasive, drought-tolerant pest rarely found on Maui.
  • In Puʻu o Kali, the fountain grass population is down to a few plants. When found, there were thousands of plants.

MISC continues to be the lead response agency for community reports of dead ‘ōhi‘a trees that may have been killed by rapid ‘ōhi‘a death. During the fall quarter, plant crew supervisor Mike Ade responded to three reports and collected samples for testing by the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in Hilo. All tests came back negative for rapid ‘ōhi‘a death. Please continue to report any ‘ōhi‘a showing ROD symptoms: sudden browning or “wilting” of leaves that may spread throughout and kill the tree within weeks. Read more at rapidohiadeath.org, and report suspected sightings by phone, 808-573-6472, or online at 64PEST.org

  • The community report of an ʻōhiʻa tree showing signs of ROD (rapidly browning leaves), led to the detection and containment of ROD on Maui. MISC responded to three reports of ROD – all samples came back negative.

MISC said “Aloha” to Keli’i Dias, who joined the plant crew in 2014.  Keli’i is continuing his career in conservation, joining the East Maui Watershed Partnership as the Field Crew Supervisor. He will be missed!

You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

Other species updates from this quarter are below:

Little Fire Ant Crew Update: October – December 2020

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The final quarter of 2020 was relatively typical for the LFA battle on Maui. No new infestations were discovered or reported so the team focused on existing sites. Following a year of treatments at two of the most extensive infestations – Twin Falls and Waiheʻe Valley – MISC did full-site surveys in December. During these surveys, staff dropped over a thousand vials baited with peanut butter every few feet throughout each location. We detected a few “hot spots,” which is normal at this stage of control, and the crew will zero in on those areas over the next three months to stamp out remaining pockets. In addition to the large and complicated site in Nāhiku (200 acres of wet jungle), only one other site remains under full treatment: the recently discovered Kaupakalua infestation in Haʻikū, which was detected in September 2020. Community reports of stinging ants, combined with the LFA crew’s hard work and dedication, are clearly paying off.

  • Full-site surveys, where staff drop peanut-butter baited vials every few feet, identify “hot spots” and ensure treatments are effective.

In November, the crew completed a full-site aerial treatment of the Nāhiku infestation. Four more treatments will follow in the first few months of 2021. After we finish this series of treatments, MISC will conduct a week-long survey – with staff from all of MISC’s field crews carefully searching the densely vegetated 200-acre site for any stubborn hot spots.

  • MISC continues with helicopter applications of ant birth control to treat the 200-acre infestation of little fire ants in the dense jungle of Nāhiku.

Elsewhere on Maui, the crew continued monitoring sites in post-treatment to ensure these locations are LFA-free. Staff completed full-site surveys at formerly-infested sites at Kapalua, Lilikoʻi, Kaʻelekū, a resort in Wailea, and a nursery in Kīhei – at all but the Kaʻelekū site there were zero detections of LFA. The Hāna miconia crew helped clear access trails in the Kaʻelekū area and Twin Falls to allow staff to thoroughly survey for the elusive ant.

Public outreach efforts in the Haʻikū area after the discovery of LFA at a site on Kaupakalua Road resulted in a record outpouring of ant samples submitted by members of the public wanting to know if the ants in their Haʻikū yards might also be LFA. Fortunately, none of these samples contained LFA. MISC continues to appreciate high levels of awareness and participation by the community throughout the island.

    You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

    Other species updates from this quarter are below:

    Community Coqui Control Program Update: October – December 2020

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    The MISC Community Coqui Control Program  expanded during November 2020 with the addition of the Akoa/Ala Olu/Makaio neighborhood. Five Ha‘ikū neighborhoods are now participating in the community program. MISC also began offering community spray nights to groups of six or fewer residents. To get involved in community efforts, fill out this form: https://bit.ly/Community-Coqui-Control-Signup or call us: 808-573-MISC (6472).

    • Neighborhood participants and MISC staff after the first micro-neighborhood community coqui control night on Manuahi Place in Haʻikū

    On November 19th, we held the first (online) meeting of the community coqui control advisory group. Participants included community leaders from four of the five neighborhood groups, plus a community leader not currently involved in the program. It was an excellent opportunity to bring the leaders from the different communities together and get their feedback. Terry Tolman from the Lower Kokomo neighborhood said that the coqui spray weeks “are like a barn raising with the community working together.” John Phelps raised concerns about potential impacts to the program if the pandemic affects funding. Interestingly, nearly all of the community leaders have no coqui frogs on their properties yet put in many hours of effort to control coqui in their neighborhoods. Mahalo to all of the participants in our community coqui control advisory group!

    Five neighborhood groups are now participating in community-based control: Haʻikū Hill, Haʻikū Mauka, Haʻikū Makai, Lower Kokomo, and the Akoa/Ala Olu/Makaio neighborhood. The Akoa/Ala Olu/Makaio neighborhood held their first community spray week during the second week of November with eight residents participating. We hope more people will get involved as they become aware of the program. Mahalo to Bonnie and Bill Prucha for spreading the word about the program and taking charge to spray coqui around the neighborhood!

    • A resident from the Haʻikū Makai neighborhood applies the 14% citric acid solution to areca palms in his backyard to control coqui

    We held eight community spray weeks and three community spray nights during the fourth quarter of 2020. According to John Phelps, the captain of the Haʻikū Hill neighborhood, “Spraying each month has reduced the number of frogs on each property from hundreds to only a handful.” Community participants contributed at least 140 hours of active spraying and many hours of handling logistics, including contacting neighbors, picking up and returning equipment, and other behind-the-scenes activities. Community participants sprayed 14,255 gallons of 14% citric acid solution between October and December.

    We are now offering the program to micro-neighborhoods, small groups of six or fewer neighbors working together. MISC staff provide the sprayer and training and then assist with efforts as needed. We started working with three of these micro-neighborhoods in 2020. One community person handles the logistics of rallying neighbors to participate. We will continue to work on a six-week recurring schedule and look forward to expanding this option to more areas. 

    The community coqui control program has grown to three staff: a coordinator and 1.5 FTE liaisons, with the addition of Carl Schwarz as a full-time position. This increased capacity is allowing us to offer the program to more residents. The community coqui control program works closely with the larger coqui crew, which mix and deliver the citric acid solution to reservoirs staged in the neighborhoods. They also drop off equipment and treat areas that are inaccessible to community participants.

    Community participants received over 930 pounds of powdered citric acid through our no-contact powdered citric delivery program. Participants performed coqui control activities on 96 properties; if you need citric acid for coqui control on your own property, let us know through this form (https://bit.ly/Coqui-Maui-Public-Report-Form).

    Removing frog-friendly habitat is a key element of coqui control and proper disposal of green waste helps prevent the spread of coqui frogs (and other invasive species). Through our partnership with Maui Disposal, we provided free green waste bins to the Lower Kokomo and Haiku Makai community coqui control neighborhoods. More than 5.5 tons of green waste were removed under this program!

    You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

    Other species updates from this quarter are below:

    Coqui Crew Update: October – December 2020

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    It was a record-setting quarter for coqui work: At one point, MISC had 22 people on the coqui crew, the biggest team to date. With all those boots on the ground, the team installed nearly 3,000 feet of pipeline for citric acid delivery to infested areas, mainly in the Pe‘ahi and Kauhikoa gulches. These pipelines provide the infrastructure needed to eliminate the infestations of coqui in these steep gulches. Crew sprayed over 115,000 gallons of citric solution across approximately 100 acres. The mauka portions of these sites are now relatively quiet, thanks to the crew’s efforts, including the removal of coqui habitat. On the east side, the Hāna-based plant crew used their knowledge of all-things-invasive to protect the coqui-free areas of Keʻanae and Hāna. In December, the crew followed up on three reports – two in Hāna town and one on the side of the road near Honomanū. The crew confirmed there were no coqui present, but did hear kōlea – the Pacific Golden Plover. The call of kōlea is short and lilting, somewhat similar to the two-note whistle of a coqui. Though the invasive frogs have repeatedly hitchhiked to East Maui, community reporting and quick follow-ups help ensure that crickets, crashing waves, and kōlea continue to be the nighttime soundscape.

    • Habitat control is key to eliminating coqui – it reduces breeding areas and allows for efficient treatment.

    Thanks to community reports, the crew has contained two new coqui populations, keeping them from growing into significant infestations. Only a few frogs remain in dense vegetation near Honokalā in Huelo and off Brewer Road in Makawao. Another outlying population near Five Corners in Haʻikū is down to only a few frogs. Even after no calling frogs remain, the crew will return to each site for a year to ensure the coqui are gone.

    • Crew install PVC pipeline in gulches.
    • Tanks and pumps feed citiric acid solution into the system of pipeline. Staff connect a fire hose to reach sections of gulch.

      The coqui team was sad to see the departure of the American Conservation Experience team, which came with a crew leader and truck, and ready to hit the ground eradicating coqui. Their efforts were essential to success in Pe‘ahi. The remaining crew of 10 staff will be working to maintain the gains brought by the influx of field help.

      For the first time in several years, MISC has the space and capacity to store all our coqui supplies at our main operations headquarters – at the Old Maui High School in Pāʻia. Our crew unloaded the latest citric acid shipment, the equivalent of (22) 20-foot containers, which should be enough to supply the crew for the next several years. Shane Santos and Darrell Aquino, our operations support staff, worked tirelessly to keep equipment running while also setting up the new baseyard. 

      • Success! Twenty-two 20 foot- long containers worth of powdered citric acid is now unloaded at our new baseyard and ready for use!

      Coqui are usually quieter when the weather turns cold, but you may still hear them. You can report single frogs or new populations of coqui online here and, if you live in an area affected by coqui, consider participating in our Community Coqui Control Program.

      You can find all past updates here: UPDATES

      Other species updates from this quarter are below:

      Plant Crew – September 2020

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      Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death response:

      • In response to community reports, Mike Ade collected two samples for possible Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death: one in August at Kalama Middle School in Makawao and another in early September from a  residence in Wailuku. Both samples were sent to the Hilo USDA/ARS Lab through HDOA Maui Plant Quarantine staff.
      Help protect ʻōhiʻa. Clear gear before going in the forest and report any ʻōhiʻa tree showing symptoms of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death: sudden browning and death with leaves “frozen” in place.

      No Ceratocystis, the fungal pathogen that causes Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death,  was detected at the Kalama School location, results are not yet back from the September sample.

      Hāna – based Miconia Crew:

      • The crew surveyed for and removed miconia plants along the Hāna Highway and set up a trail system from Makapipi to the Puaʻa Kaʻa and Upper Nāhiku area.
      • In response to public reports, they surveyed and controlled miconia plants in Lower Nāhiku, Keʻanae, and Kīpahulu
      • Aja Early caught a calling coqui in a kalo loʻi at Wailuanui.

      Makawao – based plant crew:

      A community report led to the detection and removal of a pampas grass in Kula.
      • The crew has been hiking through Haleakalā Ranch, Polipoli, and Kaʻonoʻula Ranch controlling pampas grass plants found by aerial helicopter surveys. 
      • For three weeks in August, the crew flew West Maui by helicopter, surveying for and controlling pampas grass. Weather sometimes causes delays and so helicopter surveys on East Maui are a backup option.
      • A homeowner reported a flowering pampas grass in Kula and the crew immediately responded and removed the plant.
      • The latest re-visit to the Puʻu o Kali fountain grass infestation site led to the detection and removal of six plants (one mature with dispersed seed heads). This is the only known fountain grass infestation remaining though the crew continues to follow up at other sites to monitor for seedling recruitment.
      • Along the north shore near Waiheʻe, the crew has been surveying and controlling ivy gourd in the coastal strand and golf course areas. Visits to residential sites known to have ivy gourd are on standby due to Covid-19 restrictions for staff public engagement.

      September Updates on other species here:

      Plant Crew – September 2020
      Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death response: In response to community reports, Mike Ade collected two samples for possible Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death: one ...
      Read More
      Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee -September 2020
      Removing upside-down jellyfish from Kaunakakai harbor sometimes takes partners, as when DLNR divers helped out several years ago. The Molokai ...
      Read More
      Coqui Crew – September 2020
      From July through September, the coqui crew worked throughout Haʻikū on populations of frogs near the Kauhikoa Reservoir, the Five ...
      Read More
      Community Coqui Control Progam – September 2020
      All four of the Haʻikū neighborhoods involved in the MISC Community Coqui Control Program held work weeks during August. One ...
      Read More
      Early Detection, Outreach, and Education – September 2020
      Early Detection:No news is good news, at least from the early detection team. Forest and Kim Starr surveyed the Kahului ...
      Read More
      Little Fire Ant Crew – September 2020
      Little fire ants can climb and so can our crew. Paul Moneymaker scales a steep hillside while surveying for little ...
      Read More

      All Updates

      Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee -September 2020

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      Removing upside-down jellyfish from Kaunakakai harbor sometimes takes partners, as when DLNR divers helped out several years ago.

      The Molokai Crew at MoMISC has been working hard to continue their surveys for early detection species including little fire ants and coconut rhinoceros beetle. Target species, rubbervine and Barbados gooseberry are on the brink of eradication with only seedlings found on recent visits.

      Early Detection

      • Wasmannia auropunctata (little fire ants): The crew conducted LFA surveys at various ports of entry including the Kamalō and Kaunakakai Harbor areas and the Pukoʻo beach access, a port of entry commonly used for inter-island commuting by resident boaters. 
      • Oryctes rhinoceros (coconut rhinoceros beetle): MoMISC crew actively monitors and maintains coconut rhinoceros beetle traps at the Hoʻolehua Airport. So far, so good! No beetles were captured in traps or reported by the public. 

      Priority Species- 

      • Prosopis juliflora (long thorn kiawe): The MoMISC crew has been actively controlling the long thorn kiawe population along the remote southwest coast of Molokai. With landowner consent, the crew was able to access existing control sites where they continue to find and control new growth.
      • Cryptostegia Madagascariensis (rubbervine): Past and current efforts of aggressive survey and control of this species have been successful in managing and containing the spread. Crew frequently returns to past control sites to inspect for new growth and recently surveyed a swath of the southeast coastline for potential spread. In the second quarter of 2020, a total of 129 acres were surveyed and just 3 immature plants were found at an old control site! 
      • Cyathea Cooperi (Australian Tree Fern): In cooperation with DOFAW, the MoMISC crew surveyed 138 acres for ATF in the North Central forest area on Molokai, controlling a total of 79 ferns. 
      • Cassiopea Andromeda (Upside Down Jellyfish): This pest species is found at several sites along the south and south/east coast of Molokai. MoMISC routinely surveys and controls this stinging pest species at the Kaunakakai Harbor, an area of high recreational use by residents and a popular swimming area for kids. In the second quarter of 2020, 7 acres were surveyed and 31 jellyfish were controlled. 
      • Pereskia aculeata (Barbados gooseberry): The crew spent two days in Hālawa Valley revisiting control sites and surveying surrounding areas. This species appears to be under control with only one juvenile being found at an old site. 

      Learn more about the Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee on their website: molokaiisc.org.

      September Updates on other species here:

      Plant Crew – September 2020
      Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death response: In response to community reports, Mike Ade collected two samples for possible Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death: one ...
      Read More
      Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee -September 2020
      Removing upside-down jellyfish from Kaunakakai harbor sometimes takes partners, as when DLNR divers helped out several years ago. The Molokai ...
      Read More
      Coqui Crew – September 2020
      From July through September, the coqui crew worked throughout Haʻikū on populations of frogs near the Kauhikoa Reservoir, the Five ...
      Read More
      Community Coqui Control Progam – September 2020
      All four of the Haʻikū neighborhoods involved in the MISC Community Coqui Control Program held work weeks during August. One ...
      Read More
      Early Detection, Outreach, and Education – September 2020
      Early Detection:No news is good news, at least from the early detection team. Forest and Kim Starr surveyed the Kahului ...
      Read More
      Little Fire Ant Crew – September 2020
      Little fire ants can climb and so can our crew. Paul Moneymaker scales a steep hillside while surveying for little ...
      Read More

      All Updates

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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