Page 12 - MidWeek East - June 8, 2022

12
JUNE 8, 2022
Just over one year ago, coqui frogs were first detected in a steep ra- vine below waterfall in the mountains at the back of Waimānalo. It is unclear how the frogs made their way upstream so far from the nurseries and homes. The tiny frogs reveal them- selves at night when they come out of the mulch and emit piercing chirps as they call out to each other. Mul- tiple state agencies have collaborated to frog hunt in the area by hand using flashlights, trapped frogs in Gatorade bottles as bait
SPRING SPECIAL!
and squirt guns with citric acid solution. Citric acid is a harmless ingredient in food (think lemon juice), unless you are a coqui who is thor- oughly dosed, in which case it is fatal.
es into the area as they do for other infestations. Funding has also been a barrier. They recently overcame both the access and funding issues by using a helicopter day from a state Department of Land and Natural Resources contract for helicopter services that was set to expire. They planned an aerial application of citric acid to douse the 4-acre area, espe- cially the steep parts that are not accessible on foot.
scoops up water for fighting wildfires and dropped it over the designated area. Agri- cultural irrigation water was pumped from the Waimāna- lo reservoir to tanks where it was mixed with citric acid crystals, then deposited in an open container for the heli- copter to scoop from. After assessing the impact of this effort on the frog popula- tion, the agencies will deter- mine how to proceed next. Over the last 35 years, coquis have become widespread on Hawai‘i Island, creating a serious noise nuisance and expense for residents, as well
as threatening native eco- systems. Unfortunately, the threat posed by the coquis was not known at first. In their native Puerto Rico, they are considered charming.
STATE REP. LISA MARTEN
Frogs Make Themselves At Home In Waimānalo
I hiked up with them one night to join the hunt and can attest to how steep it is — I slid a hundred feet downslope with nothing to break the slide. Now, more vegetation has been cleared, ropes have been strung and they have successfully trapped over 500 frogs. Despite these efforts the frogs have spread to the two adjacent ravines.
Since they first appeared, the HDOA, USDA, DLNR, and University of Hawai‘i have done research and tri- als to determine effective and safe treatment protocols. Hand capture and citric acid spray have been found to be the most effective.
State Rep. Lisa Marten takes part in
a coqui frog hunt at night. PHOTOS COURTESY THE OFFICE OF STATE REP. LISA MARTEN
The terrain has prevented the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture from getting ve- hicles and high-pressure hos-
MANAGE BOTH HAIR LOSS AND GRAY-HAIR
On May 16, a multi-agen- cy operation was successful- ly executed. It was impres- sive to see. The helicopter used a basket that normally
These state agencies have worked hard to prevent spread beyond Hawai‘i is- land. Plant quarantine in-
A Reputation for Excellence
ONLY
$3995
Call Us for FREE ESTIMATES (808) 485-1572
Receive a
$5 OFF COUPON
when you purchase two Moda Shampoos Valid through 5/25/22 - 7/31/22 Limit one coupon per customer
#1 Professional Painting For Federal, State, Commercial And Residential Properties
BEAUTY TOUCH KAHEKA (Inside Don Quijote) PH: 943-1183, 943-8720 HOURS: 8:30AM-9PM
BEAUTY TOUCH WAIPAHU (Inside Don Quijote)
PH: 671-2224, 484-4875 HOURS: 9AM-7PM
BEAUTY TOUCH CENTER (Pan Am Building #1018)
1600 KAPIOLANI BLVD PH: (808) 271-4802
www.quillopopainting.com