Coqui Frog Eradication

[Rob Tucker]

Now relax Pam. There has to be room for more than one point of view on this subject and every subject.

Chairman, Punaweb Committee, MSPA

[leilaniguy]

I gotta agree with Pam on this one. I'd be more charitable if I could get a decent night's sleep. Ironman suggests bio-control, this would entail bringing in yet ANOTHER alien species, never a good idea. Remember the mongoose?

[Rob Tucker]

Everybody has an opinion.

I have meet newcomers who really like the little buggers. No complaint at all.

Personally I do not enjoy futile tasks and coqui eradication has the look and feel of a futile task. We could wish that the county or state took an interest in this earlier but hey! it was Puna after all..... There is also the look and feel of infinate grant fulfillment opportunites....

I find that I can live with them but I have an extremely well insulated home and the outside noise makes minimal intrusion. I really only notice them when someone, usually a visitor, remarks on them.

One thought I had for my own home was to install, with the county buying the components of course, a light pressurized misting system around my property and to mist with citric acid when I thought it might do some good.

Coqui Control seems more approachable than Coqui Eradication. If I could have a simple system that involves turning on a valve for an hour every three weeks I might go for that. I do not want to get dressed up for chemical warfare on a regular basis. So perhaps a personal citric misting system would be practical for Coqui Abatement.

So llittle time, so many things to do.

My two cents.


Chairman, Punaweb Committee, MSPA

[jdirgo]

I'm half-and-half on the issue. I want to have the option to control the coquis on my own land, as I wish. I would not like the County to do any full-scale major spraying on private property without permission. I think the issue needs to be left up to each individual property owner and their neighbors. If you and your neighbors don't like them, start a program of control. If you or your neighbors like them, then its up to you. I don't want to see anything where people are forced to control any pest. Personally, I hate mosquitos more than coquis. And centipedes -- not a fan of them either.

John Dirgo, RA, ABR, e-PRO
RE/MAX Properties
808-987-9243 cell

[Carey]

Will, I don't know if you realize, that now the tree frog popualtion (there may now be over 3 species calling now) in some areas of Puna have much higher population densities than in their Puerto Rican homeland. When you experienced them in PR and even a year ago in Puna, you were not exposed to the population densities that some folks are dealing with. We live in town (Keaau) and so do not have the huge rural populations, but we have also tried to keep the population down on our typical city yard, much easier and cheaper than on a rural yard with heavy overgrowth. (As I type this, a superwoofer car has been bopping down the street, so there are more obnoxcious things in the city than frogs! Now if only we could control those cars!)
Aloha, Carey

[HADave]

Why don't you hear about the use of caffeine anymore? It sounded like it was effective and not harmful to the Island flora. There also seems to be a detergent in the making at least reported by the EPA, then again the Feds would'nt release it because they say the State is dragging it's feet on controling the future incidental importing/exporting of the frog and it eggs. Does anyone know what assurances folks have that import/export bussinesses are doing their job? On a more local front what is being done to control the accidental relocation like from moving soil amendments/plants/construction equipment from place to place?

Aloha HADave

[Ironman]

Folks:

I want to take a minute to clarify what appear to be some misinterpretations of the facts, comments, and recommendations that I made yesterday. Please understand that I was not lecturing anyone. Nor was I being condescending with my comments or suggestions. It is clear that within this thread there is allot of intellectual capitol, good ideas and absolutely no lack of enthusiasm in wanting to try to do something to help address this problem.

Also please remember that the purpose and intent of these collaborative forums is for us who share a common interest, to be able to share ideas and opinions openly without the fear of reprisal. Differences of opinion are not personal affronts! They are just differences of opinion.

I know this is an inflammatory issue with allot of you and I very much hear and appreciate your frustrations which are well articulated in your responses to this thread.

My attempt which in many respects failed, was to try to get you in addition to what you are already doing, to develop some constructive approaches directed towards a more long term solution instead of conducting “Drive By’s” on small patches of property which may also be negatively impacting the overall environment. If today, in one fell swoop, the entire Big Island was completely saturated with chemicals in an attempt to kill all of the amphibians including the three frog species that are reported to be capable of vocalizing, it would not end the problem! If that is the case, then ask yourself, how many times would we have to saturate the entire island, and at what cost monetarily and environmentally to achieve a non-solution? If we accept that an attempt at that level and magnitude would not achieve our desired result then we need to explore other concurrent and complementary alternatives.

Pam is right, at this time I do not live full time in Puna. I am not losing sleep nightly due to the nocturnal noise from the frogs. But I have over the past 22 years spent years in Puna, Kona, and Kau so I am not a new frog hugging transplant from the mainland that does not have a clue. I was last in Puna October 2005 for two weeks and I thought I articulated that I understood that the noise level was substantial. Clearly there are thousands of microclimates within neighborhoods, some of which will support higher population densities of these species. The recent rains might have accelerated amplexing, reproduction, and a population increase since mid October but I think what I experienced then is pretty close to what is ongoing from a noise/decibel level there right now. The only caveat is that some homes due to the surrounding microclimate may experience and support higher population densities resulting in unacceptable noise levels.

My point was that Hawaii is now, and will always be evolving. As a result we must evolve and adjust our thinking and the actions we take to best serve our collective interests. Bear in mind that I did not take either side of this issue. There are folks that are extremists on both sides. Instead, I tried to focus my comments and discussion on getting our elected officials to allocate the precious funds that are available to address this problem towards the two things that can ultimately provide a long term solution with minimal environmental impact. Those are biological and genetic controls that I think hold the most promise of a long term or enduring solution. Renting/loaning a sprayer to spray whatever chemical cocktail on your own patch of land is like standing in the middle of a 100 year locust plague and swatting them with a fly swatter. You may kill allot of locusts, you may think you have accomplished allot, and it may be VERY therapeutic for you individually, but they will be back with a vengeance!

There was also an assertion that a biological control was synonymous with the flawed release of the mongoose. It is clear that the respondent did not click on the link provided from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. If the respondent had viewed and read the information at that link, it would have been obvious that I am supporting the use of a fungus that is already present in Hawaii that is lethal to tree frogs and other amphibians.
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The text below is from the link:

Biological Control: Chytrid Fungus

In collaboration with the Hawaii State Department of Agriculture, the T-STAR Hawai`i Coqui Frog Invasive Species Project is studying a chytrid fungus that causes a lethal amphibian disease called chytridiomycosis. Because there are no native amphibians here in Hawaii, chytridiomycosis could be an effective option for controlling the coqui frog. There is a strong possibility that the fungus is already present in Hawai’i, but if left to run its natural course, the disease may take years to begin to control the coqui frog population. This research is focused on hastening that process before the frog population irreversibly impacts Hawai`i’s ecosystems. Precautions are being taken to study how the fungus may affect organisms other than the coqui frog.



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The bottom line is we need an overall integrated approach. That approach like any well designed “Integrated Pest Management Plan” will ultimately involve spraying but what we are spraying I think will change dramatically for the better of the applicator, the environment, and be more targeted towards the species for control/eradication.

Why don’t we try to get someone from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to agree to give us updates on their work. Why don't we ask our representatives how much of the available funds are going as grants to this type of research. Is is our money (Tax Dollars) afterall, why don't we direct it towards what we want as a solution? We could also solicit them through our State/Local representatives to use selected Hawaii owned State land areas in Puna to begin their first large scale pilot projects of these two approaches? If successful we could be the first to get some relief from the stated problem.




Will Peratino

[mella l]

Well perhaps you don't know this about me but I will tell all!!! We have endearing nick names in our house and ONE of my husbands nick names for me is THE Snapping Pammy! Well some here know I have a short fuse and have had a few run INS, one of which I was admonished to "Take a chill pill dear"! That was FB to me, LOL and sometimes I still miss him. He did have some very good points to make. He didn't have the capability to let things be, and would peruse any controversial subject to infinitum, including personal snipping oh well.

That said, me the Snapping Pammy of our home, understands what low blood sugar, and or several sleepless nights can do to the spirit, let alone the FUSE!!! LOL, I have learned a lot about our neighborhood here on the mainland as I have made many 3 or 4 AM deck observations while everyone else slumbered. It is interesting what happens in the early hours of a day, but it gets old fast.

So now Gene is LAMENTING (LOL) living on the BI with TWO snapping Pammys!! LOL. PJ will be our neighbor in the Roc!! She is a passionate, generous and darling person and she HAS been loosing sleep, the coqui's have got her fuse!

Hang in there neighbor we’re a comin and remember the coqui soakers with the mag light scopes for the neighborhood kids!!

Aloha, Mella L


mella l

Edited by - mella l on 03/24/2006 12:57:58

[leilaniguy]

Regarding Ironman's last post, I did click on the link. I did read the article. it states "Chytrid fungus MAY be present in Hawaii". If it is, I've seen no evidence of it in the nearly seven years I've lived here.

[Ironman]

If you intend to quote a source then please get the quote correct!

Here is the exact quote from the site:

"There is a strong possibility that the fungus is already present in Hawai’i,"

Will Peratino