Multiple training and education programs are being offered to assist Big Island communities in control of little fire ants.
In May 2016, BIISC launched a community education, training, and support program to assist Big Island residents in fighting fire ants. All of the training programs are free to residents – funding has been generously provided by the Hawai‛i Tourism Authority, the Hawai‛i County Council, and the Hawai‛i Invasive Species Council.
Community hui from Kāloko Mauka
Learn how to mix gel bait and effectively treat your yard for LFA
BIISC has been working directly with communities across the island to provide the resources needed to empower residents to treat for little fire ants. This program centers around a community meeting organized in the community, by residents. These meetings have been held everywhere from community longhouses to carports to local recreation centers. Generally, we try to hold these meetings on evenings and weekends, to accommodate the most people.
The goal of these sessions is to provide targeted information for homeowners based on the research provided by Hawaii Ant Lab, but with an emphasis on working with your neighbors in a coordinated effort. Neighborhoods that organize following the education session can arrange for BIISC staff to work side by side with them in treating their area, including a free round of pesticide application and ongoing monthly contact and support. For more information on holding a meeting in your community, contact Jade at jademiya@hawaii.edu or (808) 933-3340. For more information about developments in the fight against Little Fire Ants (LFA), add your name to our mailing list and click “LFA†as your interest area.
HAL, a project of the University of Hawaii housed at the state Department of Agriculture in Hilo, offers monthly training programs aimed at providing comprehensive information about little fire ants. HAL researchers are generating the most recent findings about LFA in Hawaii, and have the expertise to advise commercial and agricultural operations on treatment of large-scale infestations. HAL is also planning a series of evening and weekend training sessions to be held starting later this year in Kona and Hilo (the dates and times are not yet secured, but will be published on this website as soon as they are). HAL can be reached at littlefireants.com or (808) 315-5656.
