Aerial Spraying Could Extinguish Little Fire Ant Infestations on Maui “They’re miserable little things that we need to get rid of,” Brooke Mahnken of the Maui Invasive Species Committee said, referring to the little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata), which first … Continued
The theme of this year’s annual Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference, held July 18 to 22 via Zoom, was “Pilina Mauli Ola — Connections that Offer Resilience and Hope.” So along with presentations reporting the latest results of various natural resource studies and management … Continued
So Long, Skeeters: The multi-agency effort to save a number of native forest bird species from imminent extinction got a boost June 22, when the state Board of Agriculture unanimously approved a permit allowing the importation of 25,000 male Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes that … Continued
Finally! An ‘Ohi‘a Rust Rule: In 2005, a new invader to the islands was discovered on trees in the myrtle family, including Hawai‘i’s iconic ‘ohi‘a tree. Some species, especially rose apple, were devastated by Puccinia psidii, a rust-type fungus that appears to … Continued
In addition to last month’s invasive species conference in Hilo, the Hawai‘i Conservation Conference, held in July in Waikiki, also hosted speakers and featured posters reporting some of the latest developments in invasive species monitoring and control. The following are … Continued
Good news from Lehua! The state Department of Land and Natural Resources reports that the small island, just off the western coast of Kaua`i, has seen a near-total reduction in the rat population following three applications of a rodenticide. Predation by … Continued
So you want to stop rapid ‘ohi‘a death in its tracks? Probably the very best thing you can do is to remove goats, pigs, cows, deer, and sheep from the area you want to protect – and fence that land … Continued
Spread of Rapid `Ohi`a Death in Puna May By Hindering `Amakihi Population In 2001, Environment Hawai`i reported on research by U.S. Geological Survey entomologist Dennis LaPointe and colleague Carter Atkinson suggesting that climate change-induced temperature increases will likely shrink the habitat … Continued
“This pathogen poses a serious threat to Hawai`i’s flagship native tree species whose loss would be catastrophic for the diversity, structure, and function of Hawai`i’s remaining native forests and the services they provide.” — “First Report of Ceratocystis wilt on … Continued
The rapid spread of the fungus killing `ohi`a on the Big Island is scary enough. The prospect that it could take down `ohi`a on other islands is a nightmare. How to stop it at the shores of Hawai`i island was … Continued