LFA Treatment to Close Portion of HVNP

The Steam Vents parking lot in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, from 8 a.m. to noon while park staff continue efforts to eradicate little fire ants (LFA) from the area.

Little Fire Ants can cause big problems.

The Steam Vents parking lot in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, from 8 a.m. to noon for little fire ant (LFA) treatment.

Only the Steam Vents parking lot and the trail from the parking lot to Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff) will be closed. Wahinekapu and Crater Rim Trail will remain open. If it rains, a backup date is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 19 at the same time.

LFA detections have decreased by at least 99% at Steam Vents since the park began treating the area in February. In 2018, LFA were abundant and readily observed on vegetation and along the edge of the parking lot. In September, park pest control workers found LFA on just 0.1% of bait stations.

Pest control workers will treat Steam Vents every four to six weeks and the park will announce the temporary closures in news releases, on the park website and via social media. The goal is to completely exterminate the ants from the area. Visitors can help by checking their gear and vehicles for LFA before coming to the park.

This will be the eighth treatment cycle at Steam Vents.

For more information on LFA, how to control them and how to prevent spreading them, visit http://www.littlefireants.com/.