Stop the Ant

Spot the Ant. Stop the Ant.

Stop the Little Fire Ant Report Here Request a Collection Kit

Little fire ants (LFA) may be tiny, but they pack a powerful sting. Native to South America, these speck-sized invaders have hitchhiked across the Pacific, hidden in imported goods, establishing new populations in islands like Hawaiʻi. Much smaller than the average ant, LFA are about as long as a penny is thick.

LFA are considered one of the World’s 100 Worst Invasive Species (IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group), because of their ability to reach very high numbers, to the point where people and animals can’t avoid stings. Without the competition and predators that could keep their numbers in check, they are invading houses, yards, agricultural fields, and forests.  They’re also terrible at hanging on, so they easily fall off plants and trees when bumped by people or animals. Unsuspecting victims of the “ant rain” are left with painful stings.

Little fire ants may have reached our shores, but we can’t treat it like “just another ant.” And there are more than 10,000 other species of ants in the world–some of them are just as bad, if not WORSE than LFA–that could find their way to our islands.  That’s why it’s up to each of us to Spot The Ant and Stop the Ant.

Spot the ant and stop the ant. Report Little Fire Ants Today

How do we stop little fire ants?

Through community awareness! In classrooms: One of the first large infestations of LFA on Oahu was in 2014 in Mililani Mauka where 18 properties and a greenspace with large trees were found to be infested with LFA. At the time, it wasn’t clear how widespread the ants were in the larger area and if agencies […]

Storm impacts: How LFA spread after natural disasters

Haylin Chock Outreach Associate, Kauai Invasive Species Committee 2026 Has been a very active summer. Kona lows flooding, devastating north shore of Oahu. Hurricanes Lala and Lowell ripping through the state and permanently altering landscapes across Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi. One impact of natural disasters is the inevitable and unintended spread of invasive species. During natural […]

October is “Stop the Ant” month

October is “Stop the Ant Month” in Hawaiʻi and a multi-agency effort throughout the month will encourage residents to collect and submit ants from their properties to help detect and control the spread of invasive little fire ants (LFA) and other harmful pest ants that may be new to the state. LFA is considered among […]

Mahalo to our partners in the effort to control little fire ants in Hawaiʻi. Learn More