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COURTESY HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Little fire ants are shown.
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COURTESY OISC
Worker conducting a survey for little fire ants.
State officials are closing the popular Lanikai Pillbox Trail Wednesday morning, as well as on future days, for the treatment of invasive little fire ants.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources says the stinging ants have not yet been found on the trail itself, but that they were detected by Hawaii Ant Lab during a recent survey on the eastern slope of the ridge.
DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife, along with the Oahu Invasive Species Committee, and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture are partnering up in this effort to control little fire ants at this location.
The partners plan to use drone technology to deliver treatments, according to OISC Outreach Coordinator Erin Bishop, which is a “faster, safer and more cost-effective way to treat large, steep areas.”
“We’re thrilled to move forward with this innovative approach with the support of DOFAW — without it, the threat of LFA spreading into surrounding residential and recreational areas would remain,” said Bishop in a news release. “This marks a major step forward in protecting our communities and environment.”
Stewards from DOFAW will be posted at the trailheads to inform hikers of the closure, and let them know the trail reopens after 10 a.m.
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The treatment Wednesday, however, will be the first in a series on the trail over the next nine months.
Future anticipated trail closures for treatment are also expected on June 18, July 30, Sept. 10, Oct. 22, and Dec. 3. The closures are also scheduled on Jan. 14 and Feb. 25 in 2026.
Little fire ants have spread, and continue to spread throughout the island of Oahu, including the North Shore, central, windward and leeward sides.
State officials said as of April this year, there have been over 80 detection of the ants, some of which have been successfully managed in Lanikai, Kailua, Kaneohe, Mililani and Manoa.
Little fire ants, or Wasmannia auropunctata, are an invasive species that can deliver painful stings and cause blindness in pets, plus damage farm crops and forests. They measure about one-sixteenth of an inch long and are orange-red to light brown.