Tree pest leads to removal of many Waikiki banyan trees

You'll have less shade along Monsarrat Avenue soon. More banyan trees are falling victim to an invasive plant pest.

Click here to watch Nana Ohkawa's story.

City officials say combating the pest is an uphill battle.

These Benjamin Banyan trees have withstood a lot in their 50 years fronting Kapiolani Regional Park, but they couldn't stand up to the Lobate Lac Scale. It's a one-centimeter pest that's proven to be too much.

Residents noticed the trees slowly dying.

"I could tell something was wrong because they don't have any leaves on them. It's sad," said Waikiki resident Wanda Gardner.

"Hopefully they replace them with similar trees because they give a lot of shade," said Jose Lopez, a Waikiki resident.

When arborists spotted the infection three months ago they tried to save them with a pesticide.

"It's injected in the base of the tree. The tree uptakes it into the branches and causes the Lobate Lac Scale to sometimes recede," said Chris Dacus of the Department of Parks and Recreation.

But, the treatment failed.

Read the rest here:
Tree pest leads to removal of many Waikiki banyan trees