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 would use limited resources to control it or if it would have to be done by community members. Teachers at Mililani Middle and High schools worked with outreach specialists to conduct short lessons with students collecting ants from their yards and sorting them in the classroom. Hundreds of students participated and their data revealed that LFA were not present outside of the 18-property infestation. HDOA, HAL, and OISC worked together to control over the course of a year and the infestation was declared eradicated in 2017 after several years of monitoring.
And at home:
In early 2024, a Maui resident was repotting some groundcover plants she had ordered from Hawaii Island. As she worked, she noticed tiny orange ants crawling among the starts. Unsure but suspecting something unusual, she embarked on a quick bit of internet sleuthing and realized these might be little fire ants. Using peanut butter and chopsticks, she collected multiple samples. It was a Friday, and worried that the ants might be the notorious little fire ants, she didn’t wait for help—she took matters into her own hands and treated the plants with an over-the-counter pesticide. On Monday, she brought the samples to the Maui Invasive Species Committee, and her concerns were confirmed: they were indeed little fire ants.
The little fire ant crew followed up with a visit to survey the area, finding no signs that the ants had spread. Her quick action and vigilance stopped the ants from becoming a bigger problem that could affect the rest of her neighbors.
While little fire ants generally move in plants or soil, they have traveled in unexpected ways. Another Maui resident shipped over a car from Hawaii Island. When he began dismantling the car, which had been sitting unused in Hilo, he discovered it had become a habitat for ants. Fortunately, having attended a school presentation about little fire ants and their impacts years earlier, he recognized the threat. He treated the car with pesticide and immediately contacted the Maui Invasive Species Committee. Although no live ants were found, dead ants collected from the vehicle were confirmed to be little fire ants.
These stories highlight how crucial community awareness and quick action are in preventing the spread of invasive species like little fire ants. Residents ‘ ongoing awareness can make all the difference in protecting our homes and neighborhoods from invasive ants.