Pinao — Giant Hawaiian Dragonfly — on O‘ahu

Pinao — Giant Hawaiian Dragonfly — on O‘ahu

I was lucky to get some close up shots of the Piano or Giant Hawaiian Dragonfly — Anax strenuus. Also known as the Giant Hawaiian Darner, the dragonfly is said to be the largest in the United States.  The dragonfly has a wing span of about 4 inches which is...
Akoko Planthoppers in the Native Forests

Akoko Planthoppers in the Native Forests

We searched the native forests of Oʻahu to look for ʻakoko planthoppers, a curious-looking insect with a distinctive horn on its forehead longer than the bug itself. The Hawaiian Islands are home to 22 species of ʻakoko — Chamaesyce — 15 of which are...
Koa Moth Explosion on Hawaiʻi Island

Koa Moth Explosion on Hawaiʻi Island

When I heard that a population explosion of koa moths was defoliating thousands of acres of koa forests on Hawaiʻi Island I had to see for myself. The Department of Land and Natural Resources announced on February 14, 2013 that an outbreak of koa looper moths was...
Baby Kāhuli in the Native Forest

Baby Kāhuli in the Native Forest

I hiked in the Mokuleʻia Forest Reserve to see kāhuli or Oʻahu tree snails crawling on the native vegetation. During the night the temperature dropped to the low 60’s and rain fell intermittently on our campsite at about 2,200 feet elevation.  When I got up at...
‘Ihi‘ihilauakea Crater at Hanauma Bay

‘Ihi‘ihilauakea Crater at Hanauma Bay

I joined the Hawaii Audubon Society for a service project to weed and care for several patches of ‘ihi‘ihilauakea — a rare endangered endemic fern — at Hanauma Bay. It was a beautiful morning when about 25 of us met at the picnic tables under the ki‘awe...
Rare Native Plants and Animals in the Waiʻanae Mountains

Rare Native Plants and Animals in the Waiʻanae Mountains

For quite some time now I have been exploring remote ridges and gullies in the Waiʻanae Mountains to look for rare native plants and animals. Much of the Waiʻanae Mountains lie in the rain shadow of the Koʻolau Mountains and makes the Waiʻanae Mountains significantly...