Insect and weed biological control in Hawaii: Recent case studies and trends

Abstract

Hawaii has a long history of classical biological control research and implementation. Many successes have been achieved in suppressing invasive insect species and plants though the introduction of insect and plant pathogenic natural enemies. This review paper details selected recent introductions and discusses selected cases highlighting successes with highly impactful invasive species control in diverse environments. The current state of biological control in Hawaii is discussed, including recent trends in numbers of species released, concerns about non-target impacts, and how these are addressed. Research on the biological aspects is thorough, but the ability to expand research to address continuing invasive species issues is constrained largely by infrastructure limitations. Urgent research needs for continued biological control research are identified.