The Department of Land and Natural Resources is asking the public to collect and submit ants from their properties in an effort to control the spread of invasive little fire ants. 

What You Need To Know

  • DLNR, in partnership with the Hawaii Invasive Species Council and other agencies, declared October “Stop the Ant Month” and is increasing awareness about invasive ants

  • According to DLNR, recent detections of new infestations on Kauai, Oahu and Maui highlight the importance of resident reports in the early detection of LFA

  • Infestations discovered early enough can be eradicated or suppressed

  • DLNR encouraged people to visit www.StopTheAnt.org to request a free ant-collection kit or make their own using household supplies after watching the one-minute video, “How to Collect a Sample"

DLNR, in partnership with the Hawaii Invasive Species Council and other agencies, declared October “Stop the Ant Month” and is increasing awareness about invasive ants, according to a news release.  

“Detecting and controlling invasive ants is one the most important things we can do for our natural areas, our outdoor lifestyle, and our local economy,” said DLNR Chair Dawn Chang in a statement. “This campaign by HISC and our partners helps us understand where these ants are, and we mahalo our residents for taking the time to collect and submit samples from their yards and businesses.”

LFA are tiny ants — only measuring 1/16 of an inch — with extremely painful stings. Cats and dogs that are stung around their eyes may lose their vision. The ants are considered among the world’s most invasive species because they can form supercolonies with millions of ants. Native to South America, LFA have become widespread throughout the state after first being discovered on Hawaii Island 25 years ago. 

According to DLNR, recent detections of new infestations on Kauai, Oahu and Maui highlight the importance of resident reports in the early detection of LFA. Infestations discovered early enough can be eradicated or suppressed. 

The Stop the Ant campaign also seeks to find other invasive ant species that could affect Hawaii. State officials are especially concerned about the Red Imported Fire Ant, which may hitchhike on goods imported to Hawaii.  

DLNR encouraged people to visit www.StopTheAnt.org to request a free ant-collection kit or make their own using household supplies after watching the one-minute video, “How to Collect a Sample.” Find information about where to send the samples on the website too. 

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