Question: The Honolulu Star-Advertiser published a story on Oct. 22, 2010, about little fire ants on Maui. It mentioned a new bait that eradicated the ant infestation there. However, it did not provide the name of the bait or whether it was available. It was developed by Cas Vanderwoude with the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Do you know the name of the bait, whether the bait is available and whether it is available on Hawaii island?
Answer: The bait used on Maui was under a special experimental use permit, according to Vanderwoude, research manager of the Hawaii Ant Lab in Hilo.
“However, the same bait matrix, but with different active ingredients, can be used by anyone,” he said.
He directed us to a website he set up on the little fire ant (LFA) — www.littlefireants.com. Click on “Research,” then scroll down and click on Fact Sheet 5, on how to use the Tango brand pesticide concentrate, and Fact Sheet 6, on using boric acid to control the ants.
Both methods call for mixing in gel bait, because ants can consume gels and liquids more easily than granular products.
The state Department of Agriculture set up the Hawaii Ant Lab to address ongoing problems with ants in Hawaii, particularly the little fire ant, said Neil Reimer, acting administrator of the department’s Plant Industry Division. The lab is in the department’s Hilo facility.
“Hawaii is virtually the only place in the world where practical applied research is being conducted to develop new ways of controlling LFA,” according to the website, which abounds with useful information.
The difficulty in dealing with the highly invasive little fire ants is that they not only live on the ground like other ants, they also nest in trees.
They are tiny, about one-sixteenth-inch long, pale orange and slow. They produce painful stings to people and pets.
According to the Hawaii Ant Lab website, Hawaii has more than 50 ant species, and most are not a problem to the average person. Little fire ants are different because once they establish themselves, “there will be millions, maybe billions of them and when they do get into a house, will overrun it if we let them.”
For now, little fire ants are a problem mainly on Hawaii island, where they were first detected in 1999.
On Oahu, state entomologists found little fire ant infestations on hapuu (Hawaiian tree fern) logs at several garden shops in December.
The Department of Agriculture asked anyone who recently purchased the plant to place it in a plastic bag, seal it securely and turn it in. They hope quick action will continue to prevent the spread of the tiny pests.
Although the ants now have been found on Oahu, Kauai, Maui and Lanai, they have so far been contained and controlled.
Question: Will there be free document shredding at the state Capitol this year?
Answer: No.
The AARP did sponsor shredding events at the Capitol but had to turn away people because capacity of the mobile shredders used was limited.
Instead, “a big shredding event and food drive” is planned for 8 a.m. to noon May 3, at Access Information Management’s Oahu Destruction Center in Aiea, said Bruce Bottorff, spokesman for AARP.
The Aiea site at 98-736 Moanalua Loop has unlimited capacity, so there is no danger of anyone being turned away, he said. However, each car will be limited to four “bankers boxes” or bags of paper.
Mahalo
To the anonymous person who left a note on our car windshield Tuesday evening, Jan. 21, at Windward City Shopping Center. With the information provided, Kaneohe police were able to find the person who scratched our car while we were at Genki’s with our grandson. Officer Ambrose chatted with him and located the elderly gentleman who banged our car, who then came to the police station to apologize. It turned out to be a positive experience, a teachable event for our 6-year-old grandson in civic responsibility and civil relationships. — Grateful Tutu
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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.
