LFA Spot the Ant. Stop the Ant.
Don’t let the Little Fire Ant go undetected! Protect your family, your community, and our island ecosystems from the little fire ant.
Test for Little Fire Ant
Ask about LFA before you bring any material to your yard. Quarantine and test any soil, mulch, or plants that you bring home -it’s as easy as peanut butter smeared on a chopstick. Testing is easy and only requires peanut butter, chopsticks, and a sealable plastic bag.
- Smear a thin coat of peanut butter on one end of chopsticks or popsicle stick.
- Leave stick in shade of plant or mulch for one hour.
- Carefully pick up stick and place in plastic bag. If the ants are tiny, uniform colored, and easily dislodged from the stick they could be the little fire ant!
- Freeze ants by placing in freezer overnight.
- Label ants with your name, address, phone number, and location tested.
- Mail or drop off your ant sample to your local HDOA office and/or your local Island Invasive Species Commitee at these locations.
Spot the Ant. Stop the Ant.
The best way you can help stop the little fire ant is to get in the habit of looking and testing for LFA and reporting suspect ants: online at Report-a-Pest, call 643-PEST, or stop by your local HDOA office or Island Invasive Species Commitee at these locations. LFA may appear tiny and harmless, but they are a HUGE threat.
Get in the habit of looking and testing for LFA. Quarantine and test soil, mulch, and potted plants that you bring onto your property -it’s as easy as peanut butter smeared on a chopstick.
Spot the Ant. Stop the Ant.
Look for signs of infestation:
Painful stings on the neck and torso.
Pets blinded by stings in the eye.
Tiny pale orange ants as long as a penny is thick (1/16th inch).
Are ants stinging your neck or upper body?
Report it! The little fire ant is in Hawaii, but is not widespread. Report LFA to your local invasive species committee at Report-a-Pest or call 643-PEST.
