Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC)
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Ivy gourd an invader that threatens the native
plants   (09 March 2008)
ivy gourd (Coccinia grandis) If you see red fruit dangling like bright Christmas lights, you know the vine smothering your yard is ivy gourd. [more info about ivy gourd] |
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Invasive plant no sweet thing (10 February 2008)
sweet pittosporum (Pittosporum undulatum) This small, fragrant tree seems ideal for a privacy hedge or windbreak--but it won't be confined to a nice hedge for long. [more info about sweet pittosporum] |
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Poisonous rubber vine needs to be controlled (13 January 2008)
rubber vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora) Beautiful to behold but toxic to touch, this vine has a poisonous and aggressive nature. [more info about rubber vine] |
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Holiday gifts and trimmings not always eco-friendly (09 December 2007)
German yellow jacket (Vespula germanica) During this gift-giving season, it is also wise to be cautious of pests which may ruin your holiday cheer. [more info about the German wasp] |
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If vigilant, Hawaii could avoid Guam's big problem with brown tree snake (11 November 2007)
brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) Because the change was so gradual and the brown tree snake is so cryptic, it took nearly 30 years to identify the culprit on Guam. We now know that we can't afford to wait that long. [more info about brown tree snake] |
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Caterpillar pest earns name with way it hurts
humans as well as plants (14 October 2007)
stinging nettle caterpillar (Darna pallivitta) Maui's latest invader may cramp your style thanks to the painful punch packed by the stinging nettle caterpillar (Darna pallivitta). [more info about stinging nettle caterpillar] |
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Invasive species arrive in many ways;
prevention tips offered (09 September 2007)
Whether introduced intentionally or not, invasives cause great harm to our economy, environment, and quality of life. Preventing establishment of invasive species in new areas is easier and cheaper to manage than waiting until a species becomes an established pest. MISC field worker scrubs her boots to remove fountain grass seeds. |
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Australian tree fern's fast growth
made it popular, makes it a pest (12 August 2007)
Australian tree fern (Cyathea cooperi) Used by many plant enthusiasts, Australian tree ferns seem to be the answer, but it is the same tendency to grow quickly that also makes them a threat to our native forests and watersheds. [more info about Australian tree fern] |
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Thorny invader thwarted thanks to a trained eye
(08 July 2007)
Himalayan raspberry (Rubus ellipticus) Originally from the foothills of the Himalayas in India, yellow Himalayan raspberry may be the most threatening raspberry that we have in the islands. [more info about Himalayan raspberry] |
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Hawaii is West Nile free, but vigilance needed
(10 June 2007)
West Nile virus Although there have been no reported cases of WNV in horses, mosquitoes, birds or people in Hawaii, WNV is knocking on the front door of our Aloha state and could arrive at any time. [more info about West Nile virus] |
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Veiled chameleon is a threat to native birds and insects (13 May 2007)
veiled chameleon (Chameleo calyptratus) Fully-grown veiled chameleons may be capable of eating small birds, such as the native apapane and native insects like the happy face spider. [more info about veiled chameleon] |
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Banana virus threatens culture as well as economy (08 April 2007)
banana bunchy top virus Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) stunts the growth of banana plants and may eventually cause them to stop producing fruit. There is no cure for the disease. [more info about banana bunchy top virus] |
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Trained eye spots bingabing, stems species' invasion (11 March 2007)
bingabing (Macaranga mappa) With early detection, we can prevent the introduction and establishment of bingabing within Maui County and avoid having our forests and roadsides overtaken by this pest as has happened on neighboring islands. [more info about bingabing] |
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Fire ant is little, but can cause big trouble (11 February 2007)
little fire ants (Wasmannia auropunctata) red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) Fortunately for Maui County residents and visitors, little fire ants have not been reported here, but there is always the possibility that they could catch a free ride. [more info about little fire ants and red imported fire ants] |
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Coqui's threat to island goes beyond being a noisy nuisance (14 January 2007)
coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) MISC actively works on 12 main coqui frog population sites on Maui while Molokai and Lanai celebrate being coqui-free. After a year and a half of stepped-up efforts on Maui, one site is now considered coqui-free, four are in a monitor phase, and seven are showing promising results with decreases in numbers of vocalizing males and infested acreage. [more info about coqui frogs] |
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Fountain grass, an example of why vigilance is needed (09 December 2006)
fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) Originally introduced as an ornamental plant, fountain grass has become an aggressive, habitat-altering invader. [more info about fountain grass] |
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Downy rose myrtle is pretty, but not good for the isle environment (12 November 2006)
downy rose myrtle (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa) Maui has had three known downy rose myrtle locations in the past-all of which have been controlled. Today it is possible that Maui is free of the pest, but there is always the chance of reintroduction. It is critical that Maui citizens become familiar with this invasive species and report it if rediscovered. [more info about downy rose myrtle] |
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Crews work hard to counter invasion of the prolific pampas grass (08 October 2006)
pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata and Cortaderia selloana) MISC field crews annually survey the island by land and air to stop pampas from spreading across ranchlands and native habitats. To date, MISC has controlled nearly 15,000 pampas plants in residential and wilderness areas on Maui. [more info about pampas grass] |
![mullien (Verbascum thapsus [Melastomataceae])](images/verbascum_thapsus_100x100.jpg)
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Mullein came to fight erosion, exists as threat to silversword, other plants (10 September 2006)
mullien (Verbascum thapsus) With native Haleakala silverswords taking up to 50 years to seed compared to just two or three years for common mullein, a pest that is threatening native species on top Haleakala, it is easy to imagine how mullein might displace the silversword. Because of its invasive characteristics and the high risk to native species, mullein was declared a Hawaii State Noxious Weed in 1992. [more info about mullien] |
![miconia (Miconia calvescens [Melastomataceae])](images/miconia_calvescens_misc_100x100.jpg)
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All hands can be part of defense against miconia invasion (13 August 2006)
miconia (Miconia calvescens) Last April, a Makawao resident noticed an unusual plant growing in his yard. It had large leaves with purple undersides. Curious, he did some research and discovered it was miconia - a plant native to Central and South America that is invading Maui's rain forests. [more info about miconia] |
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| The Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) project is currently funded by the Pacific Basin Information Node (PBIN) of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) through PIERC (USGS) with support from HCSU (UH-Hilo). More details are available online. |
 
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| This page was created on 16 January 2007 by LF, and was last updated on 14 December 2007 by PN. |
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