Posts: 507
Threads: 64
Joined: May 2008
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/services/...1953.story
"Today, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture will conclude a series of hearings on a proposal to classify the coquí as a plant pest. This would give the state the authority to step up its efforts to eradicate the 2-inch tree frog by gaining access to private property without owner consent to spray the tiny creatures with citric acid."
That article was from October 2nd. Does anyone know if there's been a decision?
Posts: 507
Threads: 64
Joined: May 2008
The meetings were scheduled (see the cached view at:
http://tinyurl.com/4mrkfd )
but I don't know what happened - maybe they're still making a decision.
Posts: 1,074
Threads: 113
Joined: Sep 2008
Citric acid can damage plants. DOA (funny Pun unintended) recommends that U wash down plants after spraying. This will be a huge can of worms if it gets passed. I can just imagine the complaints pouring in when plants start dying... Oh, and Not only can I HEAR my neighbors talking at night again, I can see them too.
http://www.hear.org/AlienSpeciesInHawaii...021211.pdf
One Thing I can always be sure of is that things will never go as expected.
Posts: 1,051
Threads: 82
Joined: Apr 2006
Kimo says: "Oh, and Not only can I HEAR my neighbors talking at night again, I can see them too."
Very good. That one made me laugh. Too true.
______________________________
DiveHilo Dive Club Website:
http://www.divehilo.com/
___________________________
Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times".
Posts: 2,484
Threads: 10
Joined: Feb 2008
What about acid rain from vog? Is there any evidence out there that a bad vog day knocks the coquies back? If it is killing proteas in HOVE I would think there would be some impact on coquies.
Posts: 77
Threads: 9
Joined: Mar 2008
While I was on island in August I purposely went into neighborhoods with coqui frogs to see what all the hub bub was about. After sitting in one particular neighborhood for about an hour I asked a guy where all the coqui frogs were at because I wanted to hear them. He said, "What are you talking about!? They are all around us, can't you hear that racket!"
I was kind've shocked. After a while I finally was able to filter out that distinctive sound they make. I followed it to get a good listen and it never got much louder. I guess being from Missouri I've gotten used to all the crickets, bullfrogs, toads and cicadas making so much racket that coqui frogs weren't such a big deal. Even sitting in my house right now with the dryer going and the TV on I can still hear the bugs and frogs outside. It was pretty peaceful over there, I thought.
I guess my point is... are they really such a nuisance that you would want government workers trampling your yards, spraying whatever the latest chemical is onto your plants without your consent???
Posts: 507
Threads: 64
Joined: May 2008
The problem is, there is nothing to keep their numbers down. Every day there's more, they get louder, eventually they invade your yard, and then your house. This doesn't happen with crickets and bullfrogs. I'm sure the government employees don't want to go into your yard either, but if even one property is left untouched then they'll be back.
Hopefully this mainly concerns treatment of vacant lots.
with the coqui noise, it's not the background noise compared to crickets that's such a big nuisance, although yes it is new. Try to understand that people remember when there were no frog noises.
The problem is when you have one (or two, or five) right under the window, or under your bed, and it is LOUD and because it's not all mushed together into the sound of a hundred frogs, it is like having someone blow a two note whistle at high volume, over and over, and your brain starts waiting for it, and sounds like that can actually disturb the rhythms of the autonomic nervous system. Heart beat, breathing, etc., can alter when exposed to repetitive noise, whether heavy machinery or a little frog.
I leave them alone when out in the trees, but when one gets under the window you bet I'm out there with a lantern and spray, trying to find and silence it.
No, vog or acid rain won't kill them. Gosh, you are lucky if full concentration of citric acid does them in.
You know what really works, is full strength household ammonia. They will be maki almost instantly. I've heard that coffee does it, but haven't tried. Obviously the ammonia is for very limited treatment.
Yes, you have to rinse off the plants. The nurseries put the citric acid into the misting system and then after a certain amount of time they run the regular water through an d rinse the plants before they burn.
The whole notion of spraying wildly with citric acid is impractical. It doesn't kill a frog that's hiding in a curled banana leaf, it has to make full contact. The frogs like to chirp from a protected position, under cover, if they can. That's why it can drive a person nuts trying to find the frog making the noise.
As for going on to land, they have thousand of acres of gulch and stuff where the frogs are entrenched. They cannot extinguish them in the rain forest at this point, not going to happen ...
]