Port of Entry/Exit Pest Monitoring Program
Each year, over a million flights land in Hawai‛i, while thousands of container ships arrive at our ports, bringing over a million tons of goods. As the global movement of people and goods to Hawai‛i increases, so do the chances of an alien species hitching a ride to our beautiful islands. According to research from the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS), an average of 20 new insects become established in our islands annually, half of which are known pests elsewhere in the world. These pests have the potential to cause grave harm to Hawai‛i’s natural environment, economy, human health, and way of life.
The Māmalu Poepoe Project, administered by the Hawai‛i Invasive Species Council, brings multiple agencies together to enhance monitoring of airport facilities statewide. Māmalu Poepoe, which means the sphere of protection, aims to increase surveillance of select high-priority pest species that are known to be traveling around the world that are at risk for accidental delivery to Hawaii. As one of the participating agencies in Mā malu Poepoe, BIISC monitors detection stations for coconut rhinoceros beetles and Japanese beetles at the Hilo and Kona airports. Both of these species, if introduced, pose significant threats to Hawai‛i Island.
Africanized Honey Bees
Africanized honey bees (AHB), commonly referred to as killer bees, are a major threat to human health and safety. Although AHB look the same as domestic honey bees, they are extremely aggressive when it comes to defending their hive. These bees attack in large groups and have been known to pursue their target for over two miles! Africanized bees are adapted to warm, tropical climates, with populations already established in the southern U.S and California. AHB swarm much more frequently than European honey bees, which increases the chances of accidental introduction to Hawai‛i. AHB are also poor honey producers, which would directly affect local beekeepers.
AHB have already reached Hawai‛i’s shores in recent years: in 2011, harbor employees in Honolulu noticed a swarm of bees in a container of medical supplies shipped from Long Beach, California. They closed the container and contacted the Department of Agriculture, who fumigated the container and sent the bees off for genetic testing. They turned out to be Africanized bees. If AHB successfully establishes populations in Hawai‛i, it will devastate the agricultural industry. Hawai‛i’s beekeeping industry is valued at $230 million a year and also functions as the backbone for mainland U.S. pollination, which is valued at $15 billion per year. Hawai‛i is home to the most prolific queen bee producers in the world, providing 25% of mainland U.S. queens and 75% of Canada’s queens. Increased monitoring efforts are vital given the number of imported goods that arrive in Hawai‛i every day. Our early detection crew monitors swarm traps set up at Hilo and Kona airports on a monthly basis in an effort to intercept AHB and prevent populations from establishing in the islands.
Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle
The coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) is an invasive insect currently found only on O‛ahu. CRB was detected at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam military facility in December of 2013. This beetle is native to the Asian tropics but has been accidentally introduced to western and central Pacific islands.
CRB is considered a major pest of the coconut tree; however, it can also be found attacking betelnut, Pandanus species, banana, pineapple, and sugarcane. The beetle attacks coconut palms by boring into the center of the tree crown and feeding on the sap, which damages the young growing tissue. The damage can significantly reduce coconut production and kill the tree.
In other areas of the Pacific such as Palau, coconut palms were eradicated entirely on certain islands because of CRB damage. The coconut rhino beetle poses a significant threat to our only native and endangered tree palms, also known as Loulu (Pritchardia spp.). In addition to environmental impacts, if beetle populations are largely established, Hawai‛i’s tourism industry would also be impacted. Coconut palms are economically important as they are frequently used in landscaping and they also have significant cultural importance.
One way to tell if a tree has CRB damage is to look for V-shaped cuts in the palm fronds. Another way to determine CRB damage is if large boreholes are present at the bottom of palm fronds. Our Early Detection team monitors CRB panel traps at both Hilo and Kona airports on a monthly basis in order to intercept and eradicate the beetle if introduced to Hawai‛i Island. If you suspect the presence of Africanized honeybees or Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles in your area, please report it! Report particularly aggressive hives, feral or managed, to Hawai‛i Department of Agriculture’s Hawai‛i Apiary Program at (808) 974-4138. Report suspected CRB damage to BIISC at (808)933-3340 or e-mail biisc@hawaii.edu.
Invasive Ants
Ants are very successful at spreading around the globe. One major reason is that these tiny creatures hitchhike on our stuff. There are no ants native to Hawai‛i; however, there are roughly 60 ant species that have become established in the islands. The lack of predators in Hawai‛i allows ant populations to reach very high densities. Troublesome ant species, such as little fire ants or big-headed ants, negatively impact our environment, economy, and way of life. Many of our native ground-nesting seabirds, for example, are significantly impacted by invasive ants. Yellow crazy ants spray formic acid on a bird’s eyes, bill, and feet causing blindness, malformities, difficulty breathing, and loss of webbing on feet. Little fire ants have infested agricultural fields and farms on Hawai‛i island where they are damaging crops and stinging workers. Residents and tourists alike continue to get stung at public beaches and parks. The Māmalu Poepoe project aims to increase surveillance to address the potential introduction and establishment of an even worse ant species, the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta).
Red-imported fire ants (RIFA) are not currently present in Hawai‛i but have been infesting countries around the world at a rapid rate, making them a high-priority species to be on the lookout for. These mound-building ants deliver painful stings to humans that produce a range of reactions from localized pain and swelling to anaphylaxis. RIFA are considered a major pest worldwide and are well established in the southeastern US. The Hawai‛i Ant Lab, another project of the University of Hawaii, assists with regular ant surveys at major airport facilities and harbors throughout the islands. If this ant species is introduced and detected early, populations can be eradicated in a timely, cost-effective manner. If you find a strange ant in your yard, report it to BIISC or contact 643-PEST.org.
Mosquitoes & Mosquito Borne Diseases
Mosquitoes, notorious for delivering irritating, itchy bites, are a widespread nuisance to humans. These pesky insects arrived in Hawai‛i on foreign ships by way of infested drinking water barrels back in the 1800‛s. The Culex mosquito, introduced in 1826, became the vector that spread avian pox and malaria to our Hawaiian forest birds. Today, our remaining forest birds exist mostly in high-elevation refuges where mosquitoes are unable to breed.
Currently, there are 6 species of biting mosquitoes that are established in Hawai‛i. Mosquitoes pose significant threats to human health as vectors for diseases such as Dengue Fever, Zika, and Chikungunya. The Māmalu Poepoe project focuses on enhancing airport monitoring for existing and new species of mosquitoes known to vector these potentially deadly diseases. The yellow fever mosquito, currently present on Hawai‛i Island, (Aedes aegypti) is a vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus. The Department of Health monitors airports across the state for potential introductions of the yellow fever mosquito or other new mosquito species.
Japanese Beetle
Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) is estimated to be the most destructive and widespread pest of turf and horticultural pests in the eastern US. This single insect approximately costs $450 million each year in management alone. They have an enormous host range of 300 plants! The adult beetles feed on leaves and flowers. The grubs live underground and feed on plant roots, reducing plants ability to take up water and nutrients, often causing dead spots in turf and yards.
Adult beetles are to 12 mm (1/3- 1/2 inch) long and 6 mm (1/4 inch) wide. They are shiny metalic green with bronze wing covers. The beetles also have very distinct white patches of hair along the side of their abdomen. You can often find groups of beetles gathering on leaves and flowers making them easy to spot. The grubs are harder to find as they spend all their time under the grass in the soil. Indicators for grubs are dead spots in turff/grass.
