Question: Is there any agency that will examine small insect or larvae samples that I have discovered in my apartment and identify what they are so I can report it to my rental agent? I’m not sure where a private citizen can go for such a service, but I’m concerned enough about it to seek your help. Thanks for being there for us!
Answer: Yes, an entomologist at the state Department of Agriculture should be able to help you.
Although the primary mission of the department’s Plant Pest Control Branch is to support agricultural development in Hawaii, it does respond to questions from the general public, and also appreciates reports about invasive species that may harm farming enterprises.
You may contact the branch by phone, email or in person.
Phone: 643-7378 (PEST). Follow the voice prompts to reach your area of concern. If no one answers, leave a concise, clear message, which includes a brief description of the insect and your contact information.
Email: hdoa.ppc@hawaii.gov. Include a clear digital photo of the insect, preferably in the body of the email. Also include your name and contact information.
Honolulu drop-off: Plant Pest Control Branch, 1428 S. King St., during regular working hours. Make sure the insect sample is carefully sealed in a clear plastic bag, such as a zip-top bag. Include your name and contact information with the delivery package.
A phone call is enough to identify the bug in many cases, especially those involving common pests. Based on a caller’s description of an insect and the places and times it is found, the expert can cite likely culprits, which the caller can confirm by looking at photos on the Ag Department’s website and other sites.
For photos of some of the damaging insects and plant diseases the department is tracking in Hawaii, see 808ne.ws/pestlist, an advisory the department periodically updates to help reduce the spread of these species.
Q: Thank you, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, for printing the story (808ne.ws/510lgbt) about health risks facing our LGBT community. … Regarding LGBT youth, does the report say what kind of school setting is best, like a cultural, charter, public, private or parochial school?
A: No, the Hawaii Sexual & Gender Minority Health Report does not specify school types (except to say that some report data are from surveys of public-school students), but it does highlight “protective factors,” including at school, that help young people thrive.
These include “family support and acceptance; the presence of caring adults, including in the school environment; positive peer influences; strong self-esteem; and involvement in school activities,” the report said. “Insufficient protective factors are associated with poor school adjustment, suicidal ideation and high smoking rates, among other risk factors that lead to poor outcomes. Therefore, strengthening various protective factors at the individual, interpersonal and community levels is essential for building resiliency among sexual and gender minority youth. … The presence of school Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA), policies that protect youth from bullying and harassment, the presence of caring teachers and staff with whom they feel comfortable discussing SM and TG/GNC issues, and family acceptance positively influence a young person’s ability to build resiliency and overcome adversity.”
SM and TG/GNC stand for “sexual minority” and “transgender/gender nonconforming.”
This information is on page 24 of the 60-page report, which you can read at 808ne.ws/lgbtreport.
About 10 percent of public high school students in Hawaii, or 4,700 students, identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning, the report said. Nearly 89 percent identify as heterosexual.
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
