Invasive Fire Ants Keep Turning Up in Hawaii Bananas
Little fire ants continue to appear in bananas at Kualoa Ranch as the state asks residents to help track the spread through its Stop the Ant campaign.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Organic Food
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Invasive little fire ants are still showing up in bananas at Kualoa Ranch in Hawai'i, where control efforts have cut the affected area by about 90% since the problem emerged in 2019. The state's Department of Land and Natural Resources is asking residents to submit ant samples through its Stop the Ant campaign.
Why it matters
The ants threaten both agriculture and the traditional Hawaiian landscape, and any remaining infestation puts both at risk, according to Kualoa Ranch's manager. Public sample submissions help state officials monitor where the ants are spreading and target their management.
Kualoa Ranch's control efforts have reduced the area where little fire ants are active by about 90% since the problem emerged in 2019. Residents can obtain collection kits at no cost through the Stop the Ant campaign, which also offers a dashboard mapping the ants' spread across Hawai'i.
The players
Kualoa Ranch
Kualoa Ranch is a large working ranch and visitor destination on the windward coast of Oahu, known for its agriculture and its use as a filming location.
Department of Land and Natural Resources
The Department of Land and Natural Resources is Hawaii's state agency responsible for managing public lands, natural resources, and invasive species response.
The details
Little fire ants are turning up in bananas at Kualoa Ranch, and the ranch's manager of diversified agriculture and land stewardship, Taylor Kellerman, has described the continuing struggle to control them. The Department of Land and Natural Resources chose October for its Stop the Ant awareness campaign, asking residents to collect and submit samples from their properties.
Timeline
2019: A little fire ant problem emerged at Kualoa Ranch.
October: The state chose this month for its Stop the Ant awareness campaign.
Oct. 26: HPR's The Conversation broadcast an account of the ranch's continuing struggle.
Seasonal Patterns
The Stop the Ant campaign extends Hawaii's ongoing public monitoring of invasive pests, with the state focused on mapping how little fire ants spread across the islands. The ranch's roughly 90% reduction in affected area provides a local benchmark for how control efforts perform over multiple years.
Hawaii residents can request a free collection kit and submit ant samples from their properties to help state officials track the spread. Those who find fire ants can contribute to the mapping dashboard, which shows where the ants are active across the islands.
The takeaway
Residents who spot little fire ants can help by collecting samples and submitting them through the state's campaign. Early reporting helps officials track spread before infestations grow.
Further reading
For more on how farms manage pests without synthetic chemicals, see Organic Food.
More information
To request a free collection kit or view the mapping dashboard, visit the Stop the Ant campaign.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Cool Down.
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Do you think invasive pests are getting better or worse in your area?
