Little Fire Ants invading Maui island

This is a new pest on Maui that everyone should know about. For those who work in the field a lot, you’ll want to be aware of these ants because not only do they live in the ground, they also live in trees where they readily fall onto people and st…ing them. They really like coconut and banana trees, but will live in other types of trees as well.

With early detection and rapid response, we may be able to avoid a population explosion that is plaguing the Big Island. Little fire ants are tiny, measuring 1/16″ long. They are pale orange & characteristically move very slowly. They produce painful stings and large red welts. For some people, the sting lasts for three days, aching painfully at first and later itching intensely by spells.

Please share this information with your networks and encourage them to report any suspected sightings of LFA right away to the Maui Department of Agriculture at 873-3962.