Unusual creepy crawly found in Honolulu neighborhood

[Bob]

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Coconut crab is considered an invasive species in Hawaii, and are not to be imported. But this one somehow got there, and it wasn't small, some saying it appeared to be at least 1 1/2 feet long and 3 pounds. They can grow up to 3 feet long and 10 pounds.. Still this one was considered dangerous.

(Source (http://www.techtimes.com/articles/23165/20141227/giant-coconut-crab-sighted-in-hawaii.htm))


When residents discovered the crab, they coaxed the giant crustacean into a box and called animal control.

They were told that what they had just witnessed crossing the street was in fact the largest terrestrial hermit crab species in the world, as well as the biggest of land-living arthropods.

The coconut crab got its name from its ability to crack open coconuts with its massive pincers. Despite the abundance of coconuts in the area, however, the coconut crab is not native to Hawaii.

Coconut crabs are illegal in Hawaii, with possession equivalent to a Class C Felony.

That means up to three years in jail and up to $200,000 in fines, although the Department of Agriculture has an amnesty program that encourages violators to turn in illegally acquired animals without fear of penalties.

For now, Salt Lake's coconut crab will be living in the Honolulu Zoo indefinitely. It should still be alive after a while, though. Crabs of this kind can live up to 60 years old. It is estimated that the coconut crab discovered is about 10 years old.


http://images.techtimes.com/data/images/full/30636/coconut-crabs.jpg?w=600


"They'll raid people's trash cans. Eat native birds. Eat juvenile plants. And tear up the landscape if they're here," Toonen told KHON2. "They grab a hold of things. Can rip them open. Can bust open a coconut. And the idea of that crawling around in their backyard is not going to be very pleasant to most people in Hawaii."


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[Bob]

Gargantuan crabs aren't the only creepy crawlies invading Hawaii


http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3730/13602014255_f29d595568.jpg

The coconut rhinoceros beetle, a new invasive species to Hawaii, can grow up to 2 inches long. Photo Credit: Chris Kishimoto, Hawaii Department of Agriculture

Big, creepy, and horned, the coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) loves to feed on—and kill—coconut and other palms, banana plants, and more.

This invasive species, detected in Hawaii in December 2013, makes it a poster child for the USDA’s Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month.


We haven’t determined exactly how this beetle snuck into Hawaii, but we have some good ideas.

It probably hitchhiked on containers, or with plants and plant material moving in cargo or passenger baggage.

From there, it could have spread on its own, or it could have kept on hitchhiking, in plants, plant material and debris, mulch, soil, or hidden on pallets.

People can unknowingly spread invasive pests across states, countries, continents, and oceans.

[Bob]

Can't wait for a Maui vacation? Beware the Fire Ants

Confirmed, fireants have invaded Hawaii..

“Little fire ants – as tiny as they are — are a very small little ant, but they pack a very big sting/bite and it’s very toxic,” said Arakawa in an earlier interview with Maui Now. “You’ll get severe welts for two or three days rather than just two or three hours. It’s been known to blind pets, and cause severe harm to small animals, and could possibly be very harmful for small children as well,” he said.

Agricultural officials say the little fire ant is considered among the world’s worst invasive species.

The tiny ants are originally from South America, measure just 1/16th of an inch long, are pale orange in color and move slowly.


Agricultural officials believe the ants spread to Maui from Hawaiʻi Island, and also confirmed infestations on hāpuʻu tree ferns at several garden shops on Oʻahu and at another store on Maui.

Five Oahu nurseries, three of which were in Waimanalo, were found to have small infestations of LFA, which were treated and are clear of the ants, according to agricultural officials.

Crews also began treating a 6-acre area in Waimanalo on Oʻahu, which included a 3.5 acre infestation area and buffer zone. Department officials say the treatments began in late May, and follow-up treatments are continuing.

(Source (http://mauinow.com/2014/06/18/infestation-of-little-fire-ants-confirmed-at-maui-hotel/))


http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/120711fireant_s.jpg

[Bob]

Want to go walking in the jungles, tall grasses in your flip flops? Think carefully.

(Source (http://beatofhawaii.com/centipedes-in-hawaii-i-was-stung-today/))


http://beatofhawaii.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/centipede.jpg


Here’s a picture of the culprit.

I was making the bed today and felt something large crawling on me.

After a loud yelp and shake of my leg, this 7″ long centipede fell off me and quickly made its way across the room.

The centipede managed to sting me in the process. This Aloha hurts!

We’re careful to use insecticidal spray at the perimeter of the house every few months in case one of these guys walks in.

In our tropical environment, however, it’s still possible for something like this to happen.

I always tell friends visiting the islands to check their bed linens at night for any unwelcome guests. This is especially true when staying in a private home or small B&B.

Where you’ll find centipedes:

"These nocturnal, carnivorous arthropods are usually found outdoors in moist areas, under leaves, stones, bark and compost. When disturbed, centipedes run away quickly.

"In a house, condo or even the occasional hotel room, they will conceal themselves in things like bed linens, shoes, laundry baskets, boxes and damp towels/clothing left on bathroom floors. They aren’t aggressive towards people, but will sting when threatened."


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[sheme]

http://blogs.bu.edu/bioaerial2012/2012/10/14/robotic-flies/ This bug creeps me out the most Bob makes me really shudder.

[Bob]

Drones swarms and swarms of them... oye..


http://blogs.bu.edu/bioaerial2012/2012/10/14/robotic-flies/ This bug creeps me out the most Bob makes me really shudder.

[Heartsong]

So much for my vacation to Hawaii....'d'ruther stay home than meet up with those kinds of critters.

[Bob]

So much for my vacation to Hawaii....'d'ruther stay home than meet up with those kinds of critters.

Hadn't posted the pictures and videos of the Cane Spiders (can grow up to 12 inches)


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yet.. mostly harmless.. keeps the insects down.


https://cdn2.cdnme.se/3403774/6-3/heteropoda_venatoria03_539ad3d79606ee76336a9df1.jpg

[avid]

Bob!!! You've freaked us all out - have you something you want to offload about Hawaii WHY????!!! Naughty chap spoiling plans for innocents' vacations ;-)

[Ellisa]

I hope the coconut crab is the one and only and not the start of an invasion. Likewise the beetle. Do people keep these things as pets? And then I suppose, when they get a bit big they let them go.

That spider looks a lot like a species we get here. We call it a Huntsman spider, and they are completely harmless to humans (apart from their scary appearance). They eat insects such as mosquitos and are most active at night. We had one recently in the dining room, so we just left it alone. Eventually it disappeared. I must admit to worrying if they get to the bedroom. I don't want one watching me sleep!!!

It's never a good idea to walk in the bush, especially tropical bush, with bare feet. There are a lot of nasty little animals there, and they are much worse than the slow, blunt toothed Huntsman.

[Bob]

Ya Huntsman is what they call it in Hawaii too, but cane spider is the general term for the bugger.

Walking around in the Bush barefoot or with sandals.. in rainforest country.. eeeeee I thought the coconut crab was pretty strange, since they don't normally have them on the Hawaiian Islands, but they do apparently exist elsewhere in the Pacific..

I've seen most of these (and a few more) in Hawaii over the years.. Still love the mountains and surf.. :) I suppose I am partial to Maui and Kaua'i. Big Island is fun if one is into swimming with the big Manta-Rays at night.

Some background on the creepy crawly:


The coconut crab, Birgus latro, is a species of terrestrial hermit crab, also known as the robber crab or palm thief. It is the largest land-living arthropod in the world, and is probably at the upper size limit for terrestrial animals with exoskeletons in recent Earth history.

t is found on islands across the Indian Ocean and parts of the Pacific Ocean as far east as the Gambier Islands, mirroring the distribution of the coconut palm.

Its been found in Australia, but since it's on the menu, it has disappeared quickly.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/CoconutCrab_distribution_map.svg/440px-CoconutCrab_distribution_map.svg.png


There is some difference in colour between the animals found on different islands, ranging from orange-red to purplish blue; in most regions, blue is the predominant colour, but in some places, including the Seychelles, most individuals are red.

I suppose the big question is, WHERE are the invasive, non-native species coming from?

[DeDukshyn]

Those coconut crabs are notorious thieves as well. They will come out at night, steal stuff from you your yard, or your shed. I never experienced this but saw a documentary on them once -- interesting creatures actually.

Looks like Hawaii is being invaded by "aliens"! ;)

[andrewgreen]

The article said they soon disappeared from aus because they were on the menu. Why don't people just start eating them in other countries. People are risking their lives for King Crab which cost an absolute fortune, could coconut crabs not be the answer to the growing demand?

[DeDukshyn]

The article said they soon disappeared from aus because they were on the menu. Why don't people just start eating them in other countries. People are risking their lives for King Crab which cost an absolute fortune, could coconut crabs not be the answer to the growing demand?

That's what I was thinking ... I love King crab for their incredibly thick meaty arms and legs (those damn spines everywhere are sure a pain though - hard to get through a set of legs and claws without getting blood drawn) ... these coconut crabs look equally as meaty as kings ... but without the spines .. hmmm ... ;)

[Ellisa]

That's an interesting map Bob. It looks like the coconut crab has missed out on Australia, which is good because just about every other sort of creepy- crawly, dangerous, venomous, poisonous insect, animal and bird seems to end up here! Maybe we should eat them all!

I have to admit that I have never heard of eating coconut crab, but they look as though they would feed a crowd, and shellfish is very expensive now! Is it classified as a fish though? Does it live on land? It really is an ugly animal.

[Bob]

That's an interesting map Bob. It looks like the coconut crab has missed out on Australia, which is good because just about every other sort of creepy- crawly, dangerous, venomous, poisonous insect, animal and bird seems to end up here! Maybe we should eat them all!

I have to admit that I have never heard of eating coconut crab, but they look as though they would feed a crowd, and shellfish is very expensive now! Is it classified as a fish though? Does it live on land? It really is an ugly animal.

YUP land dweller, apparently when it feeds on coconut, it is quite tasty, and having gotten eaten up on Australia, why there is a 'shortage' of them there apparently :)

[Bob]

Anyone have a good Coconut Crab recipe ?

One here:

http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/coconut-crab-and-seafood-platter


For the best results, use the freshest seafood you can afford for this recipe. It is served with two sauces - both have lime juice and chilli, but one is made with rich, sweet coconut cream, and the other with seawater (though at home, you can used salted water).

[Chester]

Forgive me but... who/what doesn't want to live in Hawaii (if they can afford it)?

[Bob]

Mahi, Ono, yum...


http://albertsonfishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Fish-Page-Image-Collage.jpg

of course "Snorkle Bob's" has whatever one wants if one wants to do the snorkel experience and catch one's own..


http://www.hawaii-aloha.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/tropical-fish.jpg

(it's just that stuff crawling around 'n the bush, on the walls, out in the shed, in one's shoes... oh well, shake well, and a few gallons of repellent works wonders..) love it never-the-less :)

[Bob]

That's a cricket right, er..... no, that's one of the cockroaches..

nibbling on the toes, or anything left out on the kitchen counter.. left-overs? PUT the pizza away quickly, and close those beer bottles up in a sealed trash bin..


http://www.aimforawesome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/cockroach-misplacedspaces-flikr.jpg


There are nineteen different species of cockroach in Hawaii, and only three of them are often near humans. The three types are the American (Periplaneta americana), the German (Blattella germanica), and the Surinam (Pycnoscelus surinamensis).

I don’t know why people are so afraid of cockroaches, they don’t bite very often. This is one thing I’m not very scared of, I’ve seen so many I am accustomed to them I guess. One time I was coming out of a dream in my bed at my dorm room at Hickam Air Force Base, and I was kissing a girl in my dream. It was heavenly. Her lips were soft like pineapple, or something. As I came to and opened my eyes, I realized I wasn’t dreaming. But why were my lips still tickling? I had a giant cockroach on my lips, probably trying to get at the pieces of food stuck between my teeth. I smacked my own face and jumped off the bed cussing a storm. My roommate woke up horrified he was going to die because he didn’t know what had transpired. True story. I hope you know I’m giving you my worst stories ever for these bugs, you are not likely to have the same experience. ;)

So, cockroaches are all over the place. They fly. They crawl. They eat whatever food is around, even if it’s stuck in your teeth. They don’t have venom, but apparently they can inflict some sort of bite. I have not been bitten by one, and I’m knocking on wood right now.

Probability of Encountering – High. Guaranteed. Most residential buildings have a routine spraying schedule. You can be sure that nice accommodations are spending good money to keep the place bug free. Still, you’ll see some.

Bites – They bite, but rarely. I think only when you’re sleeping and roll over on them or something. OK, a bit of research turned this up from Orkin – the pest control specialists – “Cockroaches are omnivores that eat plants and meat. They have been recorded to eat human flesh of both the living and the dead, although they are more likely to take a bite of fingernails, eyelashes, feet and hands. The bites may cause irritation, lesions and swelling. Some have suffered from minor wound infections.” So there, nothing major. Apparently roaches don’t bite people unless there is a shortage of other food to eat.

Outcome Prognosis – Minor wound infections as a worst case scenario.

Precautions – Like centipedes, you have to block up every hole in the walls or under doors, around light fixtures, and windows. Do not sleep with the windows open without a screen, or you WILL be visited by flying bugs at night. Cockroaches are known to spread disease and they are generally very dirty bugs. If you have an infestation, don’t ignore them, get them cleaned out right away.

oh joy..

rented a time share once on Maui, down by the sea shore.. mistake... :) :) :wacko:

[Chester]

I still never forget the 6 months I got to live in Kona and the Big Island. You are fortunate, Bob although I don't believe in coincidences.

[Bob]

:) Creepy Crawlies... Here is a comment from a person staying on Big Island in a 750$ a night luxury house rental.. Right in the middle of the tropical lush.. 6 bedroom vacation special !


While I appreciate we were staying on a tropical island, the house is in dire need of pest control.

We were forever swatting massive cockroaches that all love to fly!

There were massive bull ants everywhere and creepy crawlers wherever we sat, whether on the sofa, carpet or lanai.

We constantly had the creepy crawlies.

And the owner of the property didn't explain the bull ants or the flying cockroaches, but instead brought up another friendlier crawly, the Geckos..


In terms of the “creepy crawlers” to which you refer, because Kona is a tropical island there are geckos (house lizards) in Hawaii! It can be alarming to those unfamiliar with the Islands, but once you are used to them, these critters become as welcome as butterflies.



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Freaking about about visiting tropical paradise ? The reality is, it is what it is. The larger hotels KILL small birds, poisoning them because they "bother the guests", land on the outdoor tables and steal food, and poop in one's drink (or 75$ a blue-plate "surf and turf" special). The chickens and birds are not scared by humans and they will take the food right off your plate if you do not watch them. In India it could be monkeys or baboons doing the same thing.. It goes with the surf and turf.


http://amolife.com/image/images/stories/Animals/gecko_paradise_24.jpg


An interesting blog provides some of this experience about hanging out at the ritzy ritz Hilton Waikoloa-village-in-Hawaii:


The Breakfast Buffet

Hilton Waikoloa Village Breakfast - The good news is that if you are a Hilton Gold member they will give you free continental breakfast coupons for every day of your stay.

And the food is actually pretty good.

The bad news is that the open air Palm Terrace cafe, where the breakfast buffet is served, has such a bird infestation problem that it is actually disgusting.

Seriously, I can’t believe the place hasn’t been shut down for sanitary reasons.

In fact, a bird flying over our heads crapped on our table just inches from our plate.

That’s when we stopped eating and never went back. In other words, they couldn’t even give me the breakfast for free!

Here is a short clip demonstrating the swarming bird problem (see the blog page for the clips: HERE (http://onemansblog.com/2007/12/11/review-the-hilton-waikoloa-village-in-hawaii/).

Now just imagine trying to eat a meal with this going on literally all around you.

If you even stand up and walk away for 30 seconds there will be birds all over your table. In fact, they come and bug you even while you are sitting there eating.

Having been to that place for a brunch and a dinner, and the data in the blog appeared to be pretty accurate to the experience i had..