State inspects Mililani Mauka homes infested with little fire ants

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The Dept.of Agriculture says for the first time, little fire ants have turned up in a residential neighborhood on Oahu.

Earlier this month, a resident on Auina St. in Mililani Mauka sent in samples of ants after family members were bitten inside their home. The next day, the Department of Agriculture confirmed it was the invasive pest.

We are finding it in more and more houses today (Friday). Theres about 125 houses right around this area. Theres a gulch behind there. Were checking to see if thats infested and then theres houses on the other side of the gulch that were also checking, said Rob Curtiss, acting plant pest control branch manager for the Department of Agriculture.

To survey the area, workers planted vials outside of homes and marked them in a GPS system. The vials contain peanut butter, which should attract the ants. About an hour later, workers returned to the site to check out the findings.

Well be able to make better decisions on how we can proceed, whether we can eradicate or just get it under control, Curtiss said.

The Dept. of Agriculture says at least eight homes on Auina St. in Mililani-Mauka are infested and officials believe that number will go up as they investigatethe extent of the infestation.

But until they do, officialscant say how long it will take to get rid of them.

State Rep. Beth Fukumoto lives down the street from the infested homes.Its actually something I have been watching for over a year now, because we knew it was a possibility, she said.

Neighborhood board chair Dean Hazama also lives close by.Its a surprise to all of us. I think that it is important and critical for the state to keep our residents informed of their efforts, he said.

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State inspects Mililani Mauka homes infested with little fire ants