The Coqui's are coming! WHAT to do?

[mella l]

Thought we might like to know a little more about this potential issue. Link is an article about the infestation in the islands.
Perhaps a benefit to lessen the pest!

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1894&e=2&u=/ap/20050715/ap_on_sc/costly_frogs

mella l

[aprild]

Aloha, Mella!

I've been reading and ruminating about this frog situation. It's ironic that the Big Island is overrun with the critters while I read that frogs are going extinct and are the canary in the coalmine in terms of ecological and environmental health of the earth.

I am concerned about spraying--does the citric acid spray have any drawbacks? Would spraying from the air harm humans?

I have tree frogs that I love--they often live in plants, chaise longues or trees that I have on my deck. I found one living in my laundry room in a roll of roofing paper--it had turned black to match the paper. They are amazing little creatures. I used to have more of them, but garter snakes moved in and have more than controlled the population--they nearly wiped them out completely. Garter snakes are lovely little creatures totally harmless and they stay fairly small so they are not alarming. Very shy. They also eat mice, etc. My friend says that they won't survive on the BI due to the mongoose.

I'm very aware of the problems that well-meaning people have introduced to the islands--like the mongoose killing the native birds. A natural predator would really help do the job, though.

Thanks for that cool link.


april

[David M]

Good topic Mella

Perhaps the most challenging problem is EDUCATION.
somehow, word has to spread to totally eliminate any notion that there is something good, beneficial, cute, harmless, or whatever PC or positive about these pests. While they may well be in other locales, in Hawaii they are an invasive species with no known natural predators to control them.

I also heard a distubing report of some of these pests being maliciously relocated to non infested areas. I'm not one for big brother and abundance of laws, but anyone caught doing so should be punished to the extreme, not some piddly fine.

Perhaps a candidate for the rock n roll benefit...

David
Ninole in 2005

[mella l]

Aloha April, Hey David, yes a benefit to get rid of an island pest would be good. Here is a site for the control of the coqui. Involved but not too terribly toxic.

When visiting Fern Acres and speaking to a local person, he said they were currently taking those old fashioned fly paper tubes, unfurling the fly paper, wrapping it around tree trunks, and thumb tacking to tree, before dusk about 4 feet off the ground. The frogs climb the trees in the evening and stick to the paper. In the am you go out and remove the thumbtack and put the fly paper and frogs in the garbage.
This is a little to direct for me as I think if a little frog was struggling and not dead yet it would be hard to throw in the garbage. I know, I know, get over it!

I would definitely prefer Gardner snakes myself but oh well. Saw our first mongoose in Oahu running across the road in a very populated neighborhood, and another one in Hawaiian Beaches. Gosh, they were reddish brown and the shape of weasels and very quick. I have heard that they tangle with pets and that has me concerned. Although we will be more than likely putting up pig fencing to protect our pets perhaps the mongoose can get through that. Ideas?

Boy the PUNAweb has been slow this eve. Oh well so glad we have it!

Mella L



http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/coqui/control.asp

mella l

[loffelkopffl]

the only time you ever se a mongoose is when they're running across the road. i've never heard of them messing with pets.

[mella l]

Good news about the little weasels not bothering pets. I read a post somewhere, where a woman said her cats had been scuffing with the mongoose and had to be taken to the vet. That was quite a while back. Maybe her pets were after each other!

mella l

[David M]

Article on cocqui...
http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/arti...ocal02.txt
and 2 more invasive pests

David

[mella l]

OH super. We'll all end up entomologists if this keeps up!

Someone posted recently, or perhaps it was an e-mail that rumor has it that frogs are being relocated purposely. When I was enthralled with Leilani Estates, we spoke to many homeowners there at an association picnic. They have in there office several pamphlets on how to control the coqui. We were told that the coqui eggs and some frogs get transported from lot to lot, and from subdivision to subdivision on the tracks of the bulldozers. Seems they do not steam clean them, just perhaps a hosing off if they are conscientious. Anyway I saw the pamphlets and do not remember if they were state, dept. of AG, or UHawaii published.

mella l

[ika]

aloha mella, i read some were the county of hawaii has sprayers that you can get from them to use.i'am not sure if they supply the citric acid for them? these little critters are working their way towards my lot, the farmers around me say they are using lime the kind they use on their soil.they claim it burns them up! aloha sean

[loffelkopffl]

yeah, the county has the sprayers, but you have to buy the acid. this is fine if you have your lot cleared or all the underbrush cleared out from under your trees. the real problem is all the undeveloped lots that aren't(at least where i live)it is so thick that it's impossible to spray.