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
What’s happening: Biosecurity inaction
One of the most common and fastest ways these invasive pests spread is through the transport of plants, mulch, and other landscaping materials. Currently, no regulations prevent businesses from knowingly selling pest-infested plants and materials, which is only exacerbating the spread of little fire ants and coconut rhinoceros beetles across the islands.
An interim rule is in place on Oʻahu island for little fire ants, allowing the Agriculture Department to quarantine materials in designated infested areas. This rule was implemented in March 2024 and is in effect for one year. No other island has quarantine requirements despite the continual detection of little fire ants on Kaua'i and Maui.
Similarly, an interim rule was established in October 2023 for coconut rhinoceros beetles, restricting the movement of plants, mulch, and other materials that harbor the larvae or beetle, from infested areas (Oʻahu) to non-infested areas (all other islands). This rule was re-adopted in October 2024 following public outcry.
Despite the growing threat that invasive pests pose to Hawaiʻi’s future, the state’s biosecurity and invasive species management efforts are severely lacking. The Agriculture Department sat on draft rule amendments that would implement an inter- and intra-island quarantine for pest-infested plants and materials for over 18 months. In the meantime, there were several bills at the state legislature in 2024 that had the potential to bolster the state’s efforts. While these bills made it further than ever before, they were ultimately defeated in place of a bill that allocated nearly $20 million to the Agriculture Department—which Governor Green went on to slash in half.
Thanks to the persistence and continued advocacy from the community, finally, in October 2024, the Board of Agriculture unanimously voted to adopt these rule amendments. The amendments went on for review by the Small Business Regulatory Review Board where they were passed unanimously and now the amendments are on the governor’s desk awaiting final approval. Take a moment now to urge Governor Green to sign the amendments into law now!
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