KAILUA-KONA — What started as a grassroots effort in one Holualoa community to combat the proliferation of little fire ants among neighbors has sprawled into a county-wide partnership generating prevention and management efforts up the Kohala Coast.
Little Fire Ant Hui, founded by Holualoa resident Carolyn Dillon, coordinated with Hawaii Ant Lab to provide a free workshop for 33 representatives of several resorts and golf courses across West Hawaii Thursday morning at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.
“This is the first time we’ve had a major interest from hotels and resorts, and this is one of the largest landscaper groups we’ve worked with so far,” said Michelle Montgomery, research specialist with Hawaii Ant Lab. “It’s been very difficult for us to get the word out and get buy in from the public in general, so the hui has been invaluable.”
Dillon started LFA Hui after the Department of Agriculture designated her community with the largest known LFA infestation in West Hawaii last year.
After attending free information sessions and learning about the problem, Dillon said she realized coordination was vital. So she started going door-to-door hoping to explain a misunderstood problem.
“The ants are going to be on this island with us forever, we have to learn how to manage them,” Dillon said. “If your neighbors have them, you have them — or you will have them unless you take action.”
The Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) helped through its pilot program to guide the hui’s efforts even before it was a hui. Organization of treatment on the same schedule for more than a year across all properties with confirmed or suspected infestations is what’s required for the eradication of LFA within a specific area, Dillon said.
But she felt the operation was happening on too small of a scale considering the ever-more pervasive problem of LFA infestations in West Hawaii. Another 30-acre area in Hawi has recently been identified as an infestation site and community members there are beginning to organize.
Dillon reached out to Hawaii Ant Lab, BIISC, the County Council, state legislators, Gov. David Ige’s office, the state Department of Agriculture, Realtor associations and local industry to start coordinating.
The action plan is now beginning from the top down.
“This first initiative with the landscapers is an all hands on deck mentality,” Dillon said. “We need as many people as possible to understand the threat and learn how to survey for and control and treat the ants.”
The day began with a series of presentations on LFA biology and pesticide safety. After that, Montgomery and her partner moved into prevention and control efforts, offering interactive demonstrations for initial surveys followed by gel bait mixing and application.
The workshop was free of charge, as are all of Hawaii Ant Lab’s outreach efforts.
“The main thing is prevention, to keep it from spreading,” said Mealoha Hooton, grounds manager at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, who was in attendance Thursday. “(Infestations) started with the coqui frogs, and they are so widespread now. I’d hate to see the same thing happen with the little fire ants. I’d say (after this workshop) we’re more educated now.”
Hooton and Kelly Ah’hee of NAH Security, which provides security and landscaping services for the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, both said LFA haven’t posed serious problems on their resorts — yet.
They both added, however, they left Thursday’s seminar more prepared to identify LFA in their quarantine processes than when they arrived.
After addressing some of the largest properties in West Hawaii, the hui and its partners’ next target is pest control operators.
“This was our launch,” Dillon said. “Hawaii Ant Lab wants to get those who already treat perimeters of homes with pesticides for termites and cockroaches to get trained for little fire ants so they can help homeowners. If you already provide pesticide service, why not add that on?”
While Montgomery said the Hawaii Ant Lab is shooting for that workshop in August, BIISC is holding an LFA treatment seminar for residential yard care operators at the CTHAR Kona Extension Office from 3-5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The office is located at 79-7381 Mamalahoa Highway. Those interested can register for free by June 20 by phone at 933-3340 or by sending an email to biisc@hawaii.edu.
More information about free workshops and how-to guides on LFA surveying and control processes can be accessed at www.biisc.org or the Hawaii Ant Lab website at www.littlefireants.com.