![]() ![]() They both consume and outcompete many native insect species, and can be dangerous to people due to their painful sting.Yellowjackets are attracted to meat, water, sweets, and the scent of certain perfumes/sunscreen, meaning they are often found in picnic areas and other outdoor spots with high visitation.ĭo not swat at yellowjackets flying nearby, it could make them act aggressively towards you. Yellowjackets are considered an invasive species of major concern due their impact on both human health and ecological resources. In the mid 1970s, they rapidly spread to the other islands. Yellowjackets were first introduced to the Hawaiian Islands on Kauaʻi in 1919. Kaholoaa Western Yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica) Yellowjackets are attracted to food, water, and some perfumes/sunscreens. Visitors can help control the spread of invasives like the Argentine ant by being extra careful cleaning up food while visiting the park, and checking to make sure there are no unwanted insects hitchhiking in your bags when visiting remote areas. There are no native social species in Hawaiʻi, therefore species like the Argentine ant are especially destructive due to the ease in which they are able to outcompete native insects. Insect diversity drops by 50% and insect abundance drops by 65% in areas infested with Argentine ants. Since then, they have spread to multiple locations within the park and pose a high threat to many native insect and arachnid species. By 1967, Argentine ants could be seen at Hosmer’s Grove. Known as one of the top 100 most damaging invasive species in the world, the Argentine ant made its arrival in Hawaiʻi in 1940 by hitchhiking on a military cargo ship. The purpose behind this variation in coloring is still unknown, but it is theorized that it helps aid spiders in hidingĪrgentine ants are present at a handful of locations in Haleakalā National Park Every individual spider has a unique coloration, and can even change color based on their diet! ~70% of happy face spider populations are translucent yellow with no markings or a pattern of black markings, while the other 30% have red and/or white markings as well. Their Hawaiian name translates to “face patterned spider” which may be a more accurate description. At this point, the female will either die or leave the young to fend for themselves.Ĭontrary to their namesake, not every individual within this species has a happy face on their abdomen. Female spiders will aggresively guard their eggs, and care for their young 4-6 weeks after hatching. They spend the day on their residence web, and catch most of their prey at night, either dangling from a thread near the web, or searching nearby leaves for suitable small insects to consume. These spiders are under 5mm in size, and reside on fragile thin webs built on the underside of a leaf. This endemic species can be found in wet mesic forests on the islands of Maui, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, and Hawaiʻi. They are in the family theridiidae, same as the black widow spider! Unlike their famous relative, happy face spiders have low venom toxicity, making them completely harmless to humans. ![]() The Happy Face Spider is named after the unique coloration found on their abdomen that often resembles a smiling face. McMasters Nananana Makakiʻi or Hawaiian Happy Face Spider (Theridion grallator) Happy face spiders can be seen in the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā ![]()
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