October has been christened Stop the Ant Month in Hawaiʻi, where a collaborative effort from multiple agencies is calling on residents to help tackle invasive ant species, particularly the vexing little fire ants known as LFA. The campaign is endorsed by the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC) and is a partnership involving the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, and several University of Hawaiʻi programs including the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab.
"There are no native ants in Hawaiʻi, and invasive ants like little fire ants can have major adverse impacts on ecosystems, agriculture and human and animal health," Department of Land and Natural Resources Chair Dawn Chang stated, emphasizing the importance of aggressive detection and treatment of LFA colonies given that they are among the world’s worst invasive species known for their painful stings and potential to form supercolony consisting of millions, they are a significant problem for the environment and public health.
Hawaiʻi is actively battling LFA infestation sites on several of its islands, including Kauaʻi, Maui, and Oʻahu, while so far, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi remain unaffected. The state is leveraging the community's efforts to prevent the multi-million-dollar impact and ongoing costs that these infestations incur, by providing free ant-collection kits available through the Stop the Ant campaign and educating the public on sample collection and submission for identification, as reported by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Not only LFAs but also other potentially harmful species such as the Red Imported Fire Ant – accountable globally for billions in losses and medical costs – are on Hawaiʻi’s radar. With the state's reliance on imports making it a hotspot for these hitchhiking pests, constant vigilance is critical; residents are urged to report fire ant sightings immediately, a crucial step to prevent widespread issues, this state-backed initiative continues to support these efforts and promotes community engagement as a line of defense against these invasive threats, as per the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
For those interested in joining the fight against the spread of invasive ants, kits can be requested online or samples can be collected using household supplies and submitted to different locations across the islands. The full list of collection points and a how-to guide for sample collection is provided at StopTheAnt.org to facilitate easy participation in this crucial environmental safeguarding exercise, as reported by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
