Hau'ula, O'ahu - Starting On February 28, 2025, a portion of the Hau?ula Forest Reserve on O?ahu, including hunting unit C and the Ma?akua Ridge-Papali Trail, will temporarily close for Little Fire Ant (LFA) containment and removal efforts. 

The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is partnering with the O?ahu Invasive Species Committee, the Hawai?i Department of Agriculture, and the Hawai?i Ant Lab to produce a comprehensive plan to control the infestation of this noxious invasive species. The partnership also includes surveys and control efforts on private properties around the forest reserve. 

This closure is necessary to ensure the safety of hikers, pets, and hunting dogs. The tiny ant delivers a painful sting when disturbed. LFA stings cause welts that can last for weeks and have also been known to cause blindness in cats and dogs. The ant doesn’t build mounded dirt nests, but lives in a variety of habitats, including trees, potted plants, around irrigation lines, and in electrical boxes. 

“This little ant is a big threat to our quality of life and native plants and animals,” said DOFAW O?ahu Branch Manager Marigold Zoll. “We don’t want it to become established in our communities or forest areas, so we need to take quick action. We urge the Hau?ula community to help us in testing their homes and treating any infestations, so we ensure it is eradicated from the area.”

Emergent populations of LFA have been successfully controlled in other places on O?ahu, such as Lanikai and Waim?nalo, but this is the first detection in a forest reserve on the island. Eradication efforts will begin once the infestation area is defined and may take over a year.

Zoll added that DOFAW staff will attend the Hau?ula Community Association meeting on March 4 and the Ko?olauloa Neighborhood Board meeting on March 13 and encourages residents to join.