Invasive pests are threatening our future.
Invasive pests of concern
Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles
Coconut rhinoceros beetles threaten plants and crops that are vital to Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems, cultural resources, food security, and economy. They endanger not only niu (coconut palms) but also kalo, maiʻa, hala, loulu and more. If you live on Oʻahu, you have likely seen niu and other palms with v-cuts in their fronds or crownless, dead palm trees—these are signs of damage caused by coconut rhinoceros beetles.
Adult beetles bore into the crowns of niu and other palms and crops to feed on developing leaves. This damage can either kill the plant outright or leave it vulnerable to disease. The beetles spread through flight, hitchhiking, and high wind events, while larvae spread through the transfer of plants, landscaping materials, or green waste.
Native to Southeast Asia, coconut rhinoceros beetles were first detected in Hawaiʻi on Hickam Air Force Base in 2011. They are now widespread on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, with adult beetles starting to be found on Hawaiʻi Island too. You can find the most recent detection maps from the CRB Response here.
Latest invasive species updates
Hawaiʻi has long been impacted by invasive species, which now pose one of the greatest threats to the islands’ environment and way of life. Our food security, water security, climate resilience, traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices, economy, and overall quality of life have all suffered from the impacts of invasive species; outcompetion, predation, and disease from invasive plants and wildlife also out compete or endemic flora and fauna, increasingly threatening many with extinction.
While many invasive species have unfortunately become a part of daily life in Hawaiʻi, we are currently at a critical juncture with a few species, including the coconut rhinoceros beetle and little fire ants, that could drastically transform the future of the islands.
Photos: DLNR
Little Fire Ants
Little fire ants pose a significant threat to Hawaiʻi’s environment, culture, public health, economy, and overall quality of life. Their painful stings inflict long-lasting welts and even anaphylaxis in humans, while potentially blinding domestic pets. They damage crops which also leads to the spread of other plant pests, disrupting food production and cultural resources, and contributing to the increased use of harmful pesticides. Additionally, their presence could diminish recreational and economic opportunities that rely on Hawaiʻi’s natural beauty and outdoor spaces.
Little fire ants most commonly spread through the movement of infested potted plants, cuttings, foliage, produce, soil, mulch, and landscaping materials.
Native to Central and South America, the ants found in Hawaiʻi are believed to have originated from populations in Florida, likely introduced through plant imports. First detected in Puna in 1990, little fire ants are now widespread across East Hawaiʻi, with infestations spreading throughout Oʻahu and isolated populations on Maui, Lānaʻi, and Kauaʻi. You can find more about infestations on each island here.
You can help stop them.
Photo: Hawaiʻi Ant Lab
Pest Quarantine Rules Adopted— But More Is Needed
Thanks to unwavering community pressure and engagement, the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture has adopted long-awaited amendments to Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules Chapter 4-72. These updated rules, now in effect, give the Department clear authority to prohibit the sale or movement of pest-infested plants and materials across the islands. This common-sense policy now allows the Department to stop the movement of products it knows to be infested—a critical tool in slowing the spread of little fire ants, coconut rhinoceros beetles, coqui frogs, and more.
This progress, however, came at a cost. During the prolonged two-year rulemaking process, coconut rhinoceros beetles became established on Kauaʻi, and little fire ants continued to spread across Oʻahu and Maui—threatening new communities, food systems, and remote areas. For years, the Department claimed it lacked the authority to stop the sale of infested materials, even as it delayed the very rule changes needed to do so—often citing opposition from industry.
Now that these rules are in place, the Department must act swiftly and decisively to enforce them. Inter- and intra-island quarantines, along with bans on the sale of pest-infested materials, are just one step toward a future where our keiki and moʻopuna can play outside without fear of painful bites, where hala trees thrive without the impacts of beetles and scale, and where our ʻāina is protected for generations to come.
We must continue to ensure that the Department of Agriculture enforces these rules effectively—and that our leaders continue to advance stronger biosecurity and invasive species controls. The fight against invasive pests is far from over, but with these new protections, Hawaiʻi has taken a critical step forward.
What you can do: Lend your voice and help
Join us in going door to door in infested areas encouraging folks to test their homes and yards and to take action today.
Click here to sign up to canvass in-person or virtually via text.
Help us make little fire ant testing kits to distribute in impacted communities.
Click here to sign up.
Send us photos of little fire ant and coconut rhinoceros beetle impacts, such as ant bites, ant infestations, beetle larvae and adults, tree damage, etc. Email your photos and videos to hawaii.chapter@sierraclub.org with the general location of photo.
Sign up for invasive species email alerts from the Sierra Club here.
What you can do: Test, report, eradicate
Report little fire ants and other invasive species by calling 643-pest or at 643pest.org.
Report coconut rhinoceros beetles and beetle impacts at crbhawaii.org/report. They also have great resources on treatment options.
If you're on Oʻahu, please freeze the beetle overnight to ensure it’s dead. Dead beetles can be thrown away.
Learn how to test for little fire ants, request a testing kit, or more about little fire ant controls at stoptheant.org.
The Hawaiʻi Ant Lab hosts monthly webinars on little fire ant eradication and mitigation.
The Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, Big Island, Maui, Oʻahu, and Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committees continue to do great work day in and day out, check their website and follow their social media for updates and information.
Photo: Karin