It is a tiny pest with a painful bite. The little fire ant has made itself at home on Big Island and is trying to make inroads across the state, including on Kauaʻi.
Once little fire ants infest an area, it can be extremely difficult to get rid of them. Each one is about 1.5 millimeters in length, half the size of a sesame seed.
First discovered in 1999 in Puna, the stinging insect was also found in Kalihiwai on Kauaʻi around the same time.
While Big Island's infestation was found in plant shipments, Kauaʻi's was discovered on private property, so it was easier to contain, said Haylin Chock from the Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committee.
"We've been able to pretty much contain it to one site, with our first infestation. And only in recent years, we've been really seeing an uptick in new populations," she said.
Chock said KISC is currently tracking or treating six populations of the little fire ant.
The largest infestation covers an estimated 52.15 acres in an agricultural part of Kōloa/ʻŌmaʻo. Another is in Moloaʻa, a farming area on the east side of the island.
"Luckily, the community there is very supportive of the work of KISC and they hold their neighbors accountable because it needs to be a group effort," Chock said.
She said an infestation in the Wailua River Valley is the most challenging due to the thick brush and isolated location.
Chock credits Kauaʻi's relatively low number of infestations to resident cooperation and vigilance, as well as collaborations that have put test kits in libraries and farm boxes. You can also make your own tests by smearing peanut butter on the tips of sticks.
"They have really taken it upon themselves to send in samples and to be on top of things," Chock added. "The work of KISC is really a community effort and we really appreciate that."
She also stressed the importance of teaching nurseries and landscapers the best management practices to avoid accidentally spreading the little fire ant.
Have you found little fire ants on your Kauaʻi property? Contact KISC by calling 808-821-1490 or emailing kisc@hawaii.edu.
October is also Stop the Ant Month in Hawaiʻi. Click here to learn more or request a collection kit. You can also report new pest sightings at 643pest.org or by calling 643-PEST.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Oct. 25, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1. Sophia McCullough adapted this interview for the web.
