ANT RESEARCH AT HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK

Ant research at Haleakala National Park (HALE) has focused on the Argentine ant. This research has been going on for many years, and has been conducted by a variety of people. Early research involved documenting impacts of these ants on native fauna, and determining rate of spread of the ant population (s). Later research has focused on developing methods for eradication/control. Also, two graduate students, Krista Ingram (Harvard Univ.) and Stacey Forsyth (Univ. of Arizona), have been conducting research involving Argentine ants in HALE. Stacey is studying pollination/seed-set in Haleakala Silversword and Dodonea in ant infested and ant-free areas of the park. Krista is studying aspects of sociality of Argentine ants in HALE and elsewhere.

Past Research:
Fellers, Joan H. and G. M. Fellers. 1982. Status and distribution of ants in the crater
district of Haleakala National Park. Pacific Science 36 (4): 427-437.

Cole, F. R., A. C. Medeiros, L. L. Loope, and W. W. Zuehlke. 1992. Effects of the
Argentine ant on arthropod fauna of Hawaiian high-elevation shrubland. Ecology 73(4):1313-1322.

Krushelnycky, P. D. and Neil J. Reimer. 1998. Bait preference by the Argentine ant
(Hymentoptera: Formicidae) in Haleakala National Park, Hawaii. Environmental
Entomology 27 (6): 1482-1487.

Krushelnycky, P. D. and Neil J. Reimer. 1998. Efficacy of Maxforce Bait for control of
the Argentine ant (Hymentoptera: Formicidae) in Haleakala National Park, Maui,
Hawaii. Environmental Entomology 27 (6): 1473-1481.

Krushelnycky, P. D., S.M. Joe, A. C. Medeiros, L. L. Loope, and C. C. Daehler. In prep.
A thirty year record of Argentine ant range expansion in Haleakala National Park,
Maui, Hawaii.

Krushelnycky, P. D., L. L. Loope, and S. M. Joe. In prep. Toxic bait treatment of
Argentine ant population borders as an experimental method for limiting range
expansion in Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii.

Current Research:
Effectiveness of multiple treatments using Maxforce bait (a.i. Fipronil) for eradication of
Argentine ant from Haleakala National Park.

Effectiveness of large scale aerial treatment of ant borders (i.e. application of the method
tested in Krushelnycky, Loope, and Joe, above) in preventing expansion of ant
populations in Haleakala National Park.

Research we hope to conduct in the near future:
Effects of broadcast treatments of Maxforce bait (i.a. hydramethylnon) on non-target
species in Haleakala National Park.

Effectiveness of combining methods to eradicate Argentine ants from Haleakala National
Park: treatments with both a metabolic inhibitor (fipronil/hydramethylnon) and an
IGR.

Version: Received 6 December 1999