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Hawaii Public Radio reports that this year the Hawaii Ant Lab detected 19 new little fire ant (LFA) sites on Oahu and eight new sites each on Maui and Kauai.
When inspectors from the Hawaii Department of Health find a restaurant in violation of health standards, they shut it down immediately. Inspectors for the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (DOA) should do the same with plant nurseries containing LFA. That they have not done so is strong evidence that DOA has been captured by the industry it was created to regulate, a phenomenon familiar to economists.
An obvious solution is to make the Department of Land and Natural Resources responsible for invasive species control on all lands in Hawaii. An executive order from the governor is warranted here, as the situation is becoming dire. Little fire ants are a serious threat to the health and well-being of all Hawaii residents and visitors.
Neil Frazer
Kailua
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