Department of Agriculture

May 30, 2014
NR14-13

HONOLULU — In the month of May 2014, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) captured nine coqui have been captured on Oahu.

• May 7 — a local soda distributor reported and captured a coqui at its distribution warehouse in Honolulu and turned it in to HDOA.

• May 9 — a HDOA team caught one frog at a residence in Kalihi on Papali St. This was the second frog captured at that residence. The first one was captured in April 2014.

• May 12 — a HDOA team returned to Kalihi on Papali St. after a resident reported hearing another frog and was able to capture one frog, totaling three coqui captured at that residence. HDOA inspectors followed up by talking to the flower shipper in Kapoho on Hawaii Island where plants were recently purchased.That evening, the team also captured one coqui at a nurseryin Waimanalo. A second coqui was heard, but crews were not able to capture it in a bamboo patch.

• May 14 — a HDOA team caught a coqui on Nawaakoa Street, in Waipahu.  A resident used her cell phone to video tape the call of the frog which made it easier to confirm that it was a coqui. The resident had recently purchased plants from various stores.

• May 21 — a HDOA team went back to the same Waimanalo nursery they visited on May 12 and captured a second coqui in a very tall bamboo patch.

• May 27 — a HDOA team was called to a Kaneohe nursery and caught three coqui. As a precaution the nursery staff followed up by treating the area with citric acid.

“We appreciate the efforts of those who have reported hearing the coqui and their cooperation,” said Scott Enright, chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. “We need everyone’s help to detect them so we can eradicate this and other invasive species that may harm our agriculture and eco-system.”

Suspected invasive species should be reported immediately to the state’s toll-free PEST HOTLINE – 643-PEST (7378). To hear what a coqui frog sounds like, go to: https://www.hear.org/AlienSpeciesInHawaii/species/frogs/

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