Little fire ant invasion

Names and classification

Record type

threat

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Recorded state

Localized active infestations; eradication efforts underway

Threats and conservation

Pressure source

Wasmannia auropunctata

Exposure pathway

High-density supercolonies affect terrestrial fauna, people, pets and agriculture; movement on infested material spreads colonies

Consequences

Biodiversity change, painful stings, agriculture/pet impacts and management constraints

Affected requirements

Native invertebrate communities, vertebrate welfare, agriculture and outdoor access

Susceptibility

Terrestrial ecosystems, farms, nurseries, residential and recreation areas

Reversibility

Small infestations can be eradicated with repeated treatment and multi-year monitoring

Early warning indicators

Positive bait surveys; infestation area; new detections; treatment response

Conservation interventions

Implementation limits

Magnitude, exposure and trend are not assumed uniform across Kauaʻi; local evidence governs.

Sources and further reading

• https://www.kauaiisc.org/what-we-do/lfa-program/
• https://www.kauaiisc.org/

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