From little fire ants to snakes, it’s an ‘all hands’ battle against invasive species in Hawaii

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Multiple agencies are battling infestations of little fire ants discovered most recently at a nursery in Waimanalo.

The work comes amid an ongoing battle with invasive species statewide:

• There are treatments to attack coqui frogs in Waimanalo and Palolo where there’s significant activity.
• The coconut rhinoceros beetle has been found on Kauai.
• And just this past weekend, a boa constrictor was discovered on a cargo ship heading toward Honolulu Harbor.

“It’s crazy how often they find these crazy animals,” said state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole.

Kimeona Kane, chair of the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board, said he’s heard about little fire ants at a Waimanalo nursery for years so he recently bought plants there himself.

He called the statewide pest hotline, 643-PEST.

And scientists confirmed the small pests were indeed little fire ants, which have a painful sting.

“I was simply able to purchase plants without any oversight from a nursery here in our community which I later learned knew they had a problem with little fire ants,” he said.

“I was deeply concerned about how many people have had this happen. It was really disappointing. It was unfortunate,” he added.

Keohokalole, who represents Kaneohe and Kailua, said little fire ants are a growing menace.

“Kids are getting bitten in their beds. They can’t play outside. Kupuna cannot pick flowers and make lei anymore because they are being stung. Pets are being blinded,” he said.

Keohokalole is demanding transparency from the state Department of Agriculture.

“Are we taking appropriate action when we have businesses that are potentially selling products that they know are infested?” he said.

Sharon Hurd, chair of the Department of Agriculture, said no one is hiding.

Hurd says battling invasive pests is an all hands on deck situation.

“We are doing our best and our staff is really good. We’ve done helicopter drops, we’ve done spraying,” she said.

Hurd added the department could conduct more community outreach and more staffing — but more money is needed. For example, $250,000 would be needed to continue to keep brown tree snakes out of Hawaii.

“What we need is all of the organizations that show responsibility to collaborate and to clearly communicate,” said Joe Wat, community development coordinator of the Key Project.

Community advocates say they’re all in to keep pests out.

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