The $300M Threat: UH Mānoa calls for community input to stop invasive fruit flies

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The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) is calling on the community and agriculture growers to take a statewide survey to help revitalize fruit fly management efforts across the islands.

Invasive fruit flies damage more than 400 varieties of fruits and vegetables in Hawaiʻi, posing a threat to the state's food security and agricultural economy. Fruit flies cause an estimated $300 million in economic harm to local agriculture, according to studies.

The survey will gather feedback from local farmers, home gardeners, landscapers, and others to help CTAHR understand the status of the fruit fly pest, and refine strategies for its management.

The survey is open through June 30.

Field studies

"Community voices are a major part of this food security project," said Pascal Aigbedion-Atalor, CTAHR assistant professor and Extension entomologist. "We want hundreds of responses from stakeholders across the state to ensure our future research and outreach meet the needs of our farming community."

The survey is a key component of a broader CTAHR initiative funded by the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (HDAB). CTAHR researchers, in collaboration with growers and private industry, have launched extensive field studies on Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Maui, and Oʻahu to monitor fly populations in real-time and evaluate the effectiveness of various trapping and baiting techniques in Hawaiʻi's tropical environment. They are also exploring future collaborations with with HDAB, USDA-Agricultural Research Services, and other stakeholders.

CTAHR has expanded its fruit fly outreach, with Extension agents hosting community workshops and producing instructional videos on sanitation practices and the proper application of bait for fruit flies.

For more information, contact Aigbedion-Atalor at [email protected] or Surendra Dara at [email protected].