#little fire ants

October is Stop the Ant Month in Hawaiʻi and a multi-agency effort throughout the month will encourage residents to collect and submit ants from their properties to help detect and control the spread of invasive little fire ants (LFA) and other harmful pest ants that may be new to the state.

Gov. Josh Green and the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council honored community members and organizations on Wednesday as part of Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Awareness Month (HISAM), recognizing efforts across the state to combat the growing threat of invasive species.

Sen. Carol Fukunaga (Senate District 11 – Mānoa, Makiki/Punchbowl, Tantalus, and Papakōlea) is sponsoring a community forum tonight to discuss the potential impact of federal funding cuts on local services and resources, along with critical topics such as condo insurance, little fire ants, fireworks, schools and public safety. The forum is held alongside fellow area […]

With October declared as “Stop the Ant Month” in Hawaiʻi, a multi-agency effort has been launched to collect and control the pesky critters.

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

Record funding for biosecurity measures approved by the state legislature this year will expand the state’s efforts to stop the spread of invasive species such as little fire ants, the coconut rhinoceros beetle and coqui frogs, the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA) announced Monday.

An interim rule has been established by the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture to restrict the movement of plants infested with little fire ants. The action comes after more reports of the invasive species of ants in windward O‘ahu.

The recent finding of a dead coconut rhinoceros beetle on Maui has prompted calls for vigilance among contractors and landowners to prevent the accidental spread of invasive species. This appeal comes at a time when the urgent need to address impacts from the Maui fires may increase the introduction of infested materials from off island.

Two new infestations of little fire ants were discovered last month on Maui. Oftentimes, these infestations are difficult to identify and control.

With new infestations of the Little Fire Ants, and with Maui Invasive Species Committee Manager Teya Penniman being quoted as saying they “clearly don’t have enough resources to stop it,” is the County having any immediate success getting more funds?