#maʻoloa
Invasive ramie moth, targeting māmaki, detected on Kauaʻi
A community report to the Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committee last month led to the collection of a single live ramie moth (Arcte coerula) caterpillar, the first detection of the invasive pest on Kauaʻi. This pest poses a threat to native invertebrates such as the Kamehameha butterfly and native snails by competing for the same plants.
MISC: Ramie moth still threatens native plants, but natural predators offer hope
In 2018, an invertebrate biologist discovered an unfamiliar black caterpillar feeding on a māmaki plant in Olowalu Valley. Experts confirmed the caterpillar was ramie moth, a species native to Southeast Asia that aggressively feeds on plants in the nettle family, like māmaki. The biologist’s sighting marked the first confirmation of ramie moth in Hawaiʻi and the US.
