#ramie moth

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.

Invasive Caterpillar Threatens Rare Native Plants on Maui

The invasive Arcte coerula (Ramie moth) caterpillar has been found on Maui. Biologists found the invasive species feeding on māmaki in Olowalu.