University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa researchers identified 10 new species and seven new groups (genera) of Hawaiian leaf-roller moths. While new species are frequently discovered, the description of a new genus of insects is a much rarer event; seven groups at once is almost unheard of. Discovered by (CTAHR) graduate student Kyhl Austin and Professor Daniel Rubinoff, this research highlights how much Native Hawaiian biodiversity remains a mystery.

Some species are brilliantly colored—almost iridescent—while another species from �鶹��ý Island is potentially the largest member of its family in the world.

“�鶹��ý is a world-renowned laboratory for evolution, but these moths have been hiding their true history in plain sight,” said lead author Austin. “By identifying these seven new genera, we are showing that these insects crossed thousands of miles of open ocean to reach �鶹��ý far more frequently than we ever imagined.”

Despite their small size, leaf-roller moths have proven to be one of the most effective long-distance travelers among any native Hawaiian animals. Evidence suggests they arrived in the islands through as many as 20 independent natural colonization events over several million years, an unprecedented number for any animal group in �鶹��ý.

Honoring Hawaiian ecology, culture

This work also reorganizes species that had been incorrectly grouped together, creating a roadmap for future conservation and research.

The researchers have proposed several new names that honor Hawaiian ecology and culture:

• Genus Iliahia: Named for its host plant, the endangered ʻiliahi (sandalwood). One new species, Iliahia pahulu, is considered critically endangered and is known only from a small grove of approximately 30 sandalwood trees on Lānaʻi.
• The discovery includes Paalua leleole, which exhibits a rare “flightless” form in females, and Iliahia lilinoe, named after the goddess of the mists on Haleakalā.

Many of the newly described species are already on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and the decline of their specific host plants. Some species described in the paper are noted as “presumed extinct,” as they have not been seen in the wild for more than 100 years. Protecting these uniquely Hawaiian animals requires a wide effort to restore native habitats and eliminate invasive species.

The discovery is a “testament to what was here and what we’ve lost,” said Rubinoff. “We are naming species just as they are disappearing.”

The research was conducted through the Entomology Section in CTAHR. The team used advanced “automontage” photography to create highly detailed, 3D-like images of the specimens, which will be used to help conservationists identify these rare insects in the field.

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The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa is celebrating a record milestone with 43 active recipients of the —the most in the institution’s history. Since 1996, UH Mānoa has produced 135 fellows, with this year’s record group representing nearly one-third of all recipients over the past 29 years.

NSF GRFP is one of the nation’s oldest and most competitive graduate fellowships, supporting outstanding students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees. Recipients receive a three-year annual stipend of $37,000 and a $16,000 cost-of-education allowance that covers tuition and fees, giving students the flexibility to focus on innovative research that advances science and benefits society.

for the next cycle of NSF GRFP, with deadlines in November for the 2026–27 academic year. Students interested in applying are encouraged to start early and take advantage of resources available through .

From exploding stars to native bees

Among the current fellows is Willem Hoogendam, a PhD candidate in who studies how stars end their lives in explosive supernovae. His research helps explain how essential elements such as iron and calcium are formed and dispersed across the universe, while also exploring rare interstellar comets discovered by �鶹��ý-led sky surveys. Through the fellowship, Hoogendam also spent time at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and collaborated with leading astronomers in Australia and �鶹��ý, experiences that broadened his research and professional network.

“It’s given me academic freedom at an early career stage,” Hoogendam said. “I’ve been able to work with whom I want on what I want to explore. Without this fellowship, I would not have had the freedom to learn about and write papers on interstellar objects.”

The program’s flexibility has also benefited students such as Sami Akiba, a master’s student in who studies Hawaiian yellow-faced bees (Hylaeus spp.), the only bees that are native to the state. Her work focuses on understanding the habitat factors that support healthy native bee populations and the threats they face from invasive species. Akiba conducts her fieldwork in Haleakalā National Park on Maui, and has used the fellowship’s resources to expand her research and training opportunities across the country.

“I am grateful for the flexibility of the NSF GRFP,” Akiba said. “I get to design my own project, make shifts as needed and put effort into aspects of my research I think are particularly important or exciting, even if the ideas are a little unconventional.”

Since its creation in 1952, NSF GRFP has recognized more than 60,000 fellows, including Nobel Prize winners and members of the National Academy of Sciences. At UH Mānoa, the growing number of fellows highlights the university’s strong research culture and commitment to developing talent across scientific disciplines.

Scientists at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� have found a new caterpillar species with unique and bizarre behaviors—it lives in spider webs and decorates its portable home with the body parts of the spider’s prey. This remarkable discovery, reported in , also reveals the species to be endangered.

The caterpillar, a member of the Hawaiian Fancy Case Caterpillar group also known as the genus Hyposmocoma, has been named the “bone collector” caterpillar due to its macabre habit of adding insect body parts into its silken, portable case. Researchers have observed these caterpillars measuring and attaching body parts such as fly wings, weevil heads and earwig abdomens to their cases.

“The bone collector caterpillar is another example of how incredible and unpredictable evolution in �鶹��ý can be,” said Dan Rubinoff, a professor at the UH ����ԴDz� . “Not only are they the only caterpillars in the world to decorate their homes with body parts but maybe more shocking, they make their living hanging around spider webs. This is something we never even imagined was possible. But in �鶹��ý, here it is.”

Rubinoff co-authored the new study with UH ����ԴDz� scientists Michael San Jose and Camiel Doorenweerd.

Carnivorous caterpillar

The caterpillars are carnivorous and live with spiders in webs located in tree hollows, logs, or rock cavities. The predator opportunistically feeds on weakened or recently deceased insects within the web, even chewing through silken webbing to reach their meals.

However, the study also reveals a troubling reality: the newly discovered species is already endangered. After decades of searching, the caterpillar has only been found in a small 15-square-kilometer area of forest in the Waiʻanae mountain range on Oʻahu.

Ancient roots

The researcher team estimates that the evolutionary origin of the bone collector caterpillar lineage dates back at least six million years, significantly older than the current islands of �鶹��ý. This suggests that the species may have once been more widespread across the ancient and now sunken islands to the northwest of the main Hawaiian archipelago.

Scientists at UH ����ԴDz� are calling for immediate conservation efforts to preserve the habitat of the bone collector caterpillar and prevent the loss of this remarkable species.

The at Gilmore Hall came alive with curiosity and exploration in celebration of Darwin Day 2025, a global celebration of science, discovery and evolutionary biology. Held every year on February 12, UH ����ԴDz�’s event featured interactive exhibits and an adventurous insect-tasting session.

Nomi Ruiz, a team member of the UH ����ԴDz� (CTAHR), examined an assortment of insect snacks at the museum before cautiously biting into a dark chocolate-coated cricket. She eyed a tray of chocolate chip cookies made with cricket flour, but decided she had enough six-legged treats for the day. Her food adventure set the tone for the event, which honored Charles Darwin and his groundbreaking contributions to the study of life sciences and natural selection.

“Darwin fundamentally reshaped how we view the natural world,” said Dan Rubinoff, director of the UH Insect Museum and professor at the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences. “This international event gives us a chance to celebrate those ideas and their relevance today.”

Rubinoff explained how the museum, which is part of the UH ����ԴDz� College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, highlights Darwin’s legacy of evolution and understanding how life on Earth is shaped by our environment.

“That’s important not just for itself, but also for agriculture and conservation, because we have invasive species that come in and replace the native species,” Rubinoff said.

Darwin Day in �鶹��ý

Spencer Pote, a PhD student at UH ����ԴDz�, emphasized the importance of celebrating Darwin Day in the islands.

“The islands act almost like a conveyor belt of evolution, with species diversifying in ways we don’t see anywhere else,” Pote said. ”Darwin Day lets us share these incredible stories of natural diversity with the community.”

Galápagos finches, rare caterpillars

The museum buzzed with activity as visitors explored a diverse array of exhibits from UH ����ԴDz�’s research labs. Displays featured ocean creatures from and mantis shrimp from the . A collection of Galápagos finches and snails from Bishop Museum’s Malacology Research Center were also on display. One of the most fascinating exhibits at the event showcased rare native species such as �鶹��ý’s carnivorous caterpillars alongside invasive insects.

“We have over half a million specimens,” Rubinoff said. “Many of them date back to 1908, including species now extinct, making this collection invaluable for research and education.”

KTUH radio host Alex Sosa reflected on his first Darwin Day experience.

“It’s been amazing to learn so much—from upside-down jellyfish to carnivorous plants. Honestly, I love seeing science come alive in such a fun, interactive way.”

at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo took center stage on PBS �鶹��ý’s Home is Here series, showcasing the vital role bees play in agriculture and the university’s unique approach to hands-on learning.

Led by Professor Lorna Tsutsumi, UH �ᾱ����’s beekeeping program offers students a chance to gain practical experience in managing beehives while promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

“You can go to the internet and look at pictures with and without pollination, and you can see how that affects our food choices, our food supply,” said Tsutsumi. “And knowing that, it becomes absolutely essential that we not only encourage beekeeping for the products, but we encourage bees for pollination.”

Hands-on learning hub

The university’s in Panaʻewa serves as a learning hub where students actively engage with the campus apiary. Under Tsutsumi’s mentorship and with the support of farm manager Jake Rodrique, students not only learn the science of beekeeping but also develop a broader understanding of the ecological and cultural importance of bees. UH �ᾱ����’s , co-founded by renowned Chef Alan Wong, further supports these efforts by connecting community and sustainability through beekeeping education.

• Related UH News story: Bee-coming Sustainable: UH �ᾱ����’s sweet solution to bee sustainability, April 23, 2024

For students like ʻIliahi Tancayo from Molokaʻi, the program has been a transformative experience.

“I haven’t been up close to a bee ever in my life prior to this class,” said Tancayo who is earning a beekeeping certificate. “So being able to be properly suited and, you know, the safety gear and procedures in place, like, just being up close in the apiary gave me more actual interest in the bees because I got to be in their environment instead of being on the outside looking at a tiny little bee.”

Adopt-a-hive

. Adopters receive periodic updates and photos from UH Hilo students like Tancayo who are caring for their hives, along with a personal supply of honey and honey-related products.

For more go to .

researchers discovered five new endemic moth species during a survey of the Kamehamenui Forest Reserve on Maui in order to get a baseline biodiversity estimate prior to reforestation efforts. The survey was a collaboration between the (CTAHR) and the (DLNR).

Entomologist Dan Rubinoff of CTAHR’s , along with his grad students Camiel Doorenweerd and Kyhl Austin, discovered the moth species, all in Hyposmocoma, a remarkable genus of Hawaiian moths found nowhere else.

One of the new species was also found all the way at the peak of Haleakalā (at 3,045 meters), which they named Hyposmocoma kukilakila in tribute to the magnificent volcano. Two other species were named after Lance Da Silva of DLNR, which funded DNA results that led to the discoveries, and Kim Starr, who worked with the DLNR team that actively supported this research.

“We estimate about 50% of �鶹��ý’s insect diversity is yet undiscovered and unnamed, and we know even less of how these species are part of the intricate and diverse Hawaiian ecosystems that are unique in the world,”said Rubinoff.

Naming undescribed species opens the door to gathering knowledge on the species, including what they eat, what eats them, their behavior and evolution, he explained. Understanding their position in the ecosystem can be used to set conservation priorities to try to prevent the extinction of the incredible diversity of insects that is unique to �鶹��ý. Healthy ecosystems are the basis to any sustainable practice of agriculture, use of water, or any other use of natural resources.

“There is still hope for Hawaiian insects, but if we do nothing, we can expect hundreds of species going extinct in the coming decades without us ever even knowing they existed,” Rubinoff said. “The establishment of forest reserves and reforestation efforts offer hope for the preservation of Hawaiian insects.”

Visit to learn more.

A team of graduate students has brought home a win from the Pacific Branch Entomological Society of America (ESA) meeting on April 3, in Seattle, Washington. The team represented the graduate program in Entomology and the ’ (PEPS), University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR).

Consisting of students Michelle Au, John Adam Lawrence, Maisha Lucas and Juliana Salehi, the entomology team narrowly beat the University of California-Riverside in a tense tie-breaker, then went on to beat Washington State University in the final round.

The win qualifies them to compete at the national-level Entomology Games in November 2023 at the ESA’s annual meeting in National Harbor, Maryland. The PEPS’ entomology team won the Entomology Games in 2021.

The students are graduate research assistants and undergraduate students in the research labs of Mark Wright and Jia-Wei Tay, both professors and extension entomologists. Students were coached by Wright.

“Our students put a lot of work into this,” said Wright. “They study all the time, including practice runs during lunch on a wide variety of topics in entomology down to the most obscure facts about insects. I’m confident our team will proudly represent UH ����ԴDz� at the national contest in November.”

Tay added, “They did it, and we’re so proud of them! I have faith in our current team for the upcoming national competition!”

The ESA provides each team with a travel award to assist them in getting to the national meeting. The students are also supported by the Au Yeung, Sui Shan and Emmett Richard Easton Scholarship at CTAHR; Tanada Family Entomology Fund; and Nan-Yao and Jill H. Su Endowed Fund for Urban Entomology.

Small invertebrates and microfauna, such as endangered Hawaiian picture-winged flies, play an important role in providing balance to natural ecosystems.

Scientists at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa and the �鶹��ý State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife are working together to re-establish picture-winged fly populations, including Drosophila hemipeza, an endangered species. The project’s aim is to help restore ecosystem stability, support natural biodiversity, and reduce the likelihood of the species’ extinction.

Historically, picture-winged fly populations were found at multiple sites in both the Koʻolau and Waiʻanae mountain ranges of Oʻahu. Today, population numbers have greatly diminished, and their range has been significantly reduced. It is believed that Palikea, in the Waiʻanae Range, may be the only remaining site for these flies, where few are left.

“Contributing factors to their decline include a range of issues that a lot of other native insects face: deforestation, predation and competition from invasives, native host plant destruction from pigs, and climate change,” said Kelli Konicek, entomological research technician with the �鶹��ý Invertebrate Program.

In conservation efforts, small invertebrates and microfauna often receive less attention than their larger animal counterparts, but their role in supporting biodiversity and ecosystem health is critical. By conserving endangered species such as the Hawaiian picture-winged fly, DLNR and UH are aiming to create holistic, restored ecosystems.

Improving fly fitness

The researchers are working to stem that tide, rearing D. hemipeza in a lab to introduce into the wild. Through experimentation and ingenuity working with more common and abundant fly species, and leveraging long-term knowledge developed by UH Mānoa researchers at the Hawaiian Drosophila Research Stock Center, the team developed an effective mass rearing regimen that has proven very effective.

“In the lab, we are trying different methods involving the microbiome to improve reproduction and to understand how a switch from a controlled lab diet and environment to field conditions may impact the flies,” said Joanne Yew, a researcher at the (PBRC) in the UH Mānoa and Konicek’s research mentor. “In our experiments, we provide microbe supplements, either from native host plants or from other Hawaiian Drosophila, to developing flies and assess the impact on physiological changes such as egg number and number of offspring.”

The flies are raised in the UH Mānoa , a facility led and managed by a team of PBRC researchers and faculty. Incorporating microbe supplements, the group hopes to ensure the reared flies are fit and healthy enough to be introduced into nature.

Successful reproduction

The team is slowly releasing these flies at a Mānoa Cliff Restoration site, containing several native host plant species in which D. hemipeza are known to breed. Native ʻōhā wai, hāhā and ōpuhe have been planted by a dedicated group of volunteers in cooperation with the Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s Plant Extinction Prevention Program.

Scientists began releasing D. hemipeza in October 2022, and by early January, Konicek observed the first unmarked D. hemipeza at the site, a sign that the species is successfully reproducing on its own.

“It’s really promising to observe flies at the site that we know are not lab-reared,” said DLNR Entomologist Cynthia King. “However, we’ll need to continue the introductions to increase the likelihood the species will establish in the long-term.”

“There is a constant exchange of signals between animals and the microbes in their gut,” said Yew. “What we’re learning from the Hawaiian flies is that the microbiome can have large effects on host reproduction and behavior. Studying the Hawaiian Drosophila and their relationship with their gut microbes will allow us to understand how this sort of inter-kingdom chemical communication shapes the physiology of their host and may influence evolution.”

�Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s general public may not know the twolined spittlebug (TLSB), but scientists at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa have been intensely fighting the invasive insect since its discovery in �鶹��ý in 2016. Within a scant eight generations, TLSB has spread to infest more than 176,000 acres of rangeland on the Big Island. In highly infested areas, the result was nearly 100% die back of key range forages, including kikuyu and pangola grasses. Their loss exposed the land to invasive plants such as pāmakani, wild blackberry and fireweed. Livestock producers faced devastating economic losses.

Within a scant eight generations, TLSB has spread to infest more than 176,000 acres of rangeland on the Big Island.

To combat the problem, the (CTAHR) Extension’s twolined spittlebug team has released a new reporting and decision-support smartphone app for the management of TLSB in �鶹��ý. The tool allows users to learn about and correctly identify TLSB, giving landowners the ability to locate, map and manage outbreaks on their properties. Users can also assist experts as citizen-scientists by using the app’s reporting tool to geolocate sightings of the pest.

Tracking and documenting the spread of TLSB

“The app has four main features,” explains Mark Thorne, a CTAHR specialist. “First, an information guide that provides an overview of TLSB biology and ecology. Next, it helps users identify TLSB in the field and distinguish it from other, non-pest species. Third, users can report sightings of TLSB. Fourth, it allows users to determine the size of the TLSB population, and then, based on the potential damage threshold calculated, select from a series of integrated pest management decisions.”

The CTAHR team, which includes Specialist Mark Wright, Graduate Assistant Shannon Wilson and Assistant Extension Agent Melelani Oshiro, and Daniel Peck from Vestaron Corporation noted the reports include a geo-referenced picture and basic details about the habitat and geographical location of the pest. The reported data is then captured in a database and displayed on a web-based mapping tool.

Users have the option to enter data on TLSB population density and provide estimates on spatial extent and observed damage in their report. Data on TLSB populations is determined by following sampling protocols provided in the fourth tool.

“We spent two years drafting content and working with developers to get the app released, and we’re confident it will facilitate tracking and documenting the spread of this pest and lead to better pest management decisions for rangeland managers,” said Thorne.

To keep track of TLSB sightings, the team has created an administrative that displays a map of TLSB sighting reports by app users.

Go to the or to download the app.

The hala tree, its sprawling leaves famously used for woven lauhala pieces and iconic in Hawaiian and Polynesian culture, is being threatened by a critical invasive pest—the hala scale. Experts at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (CTAHR), the UH and UH ����ԴDz� teamed up to save the trees on campus. Thanks to their collaborative efforts, the pest was eradicated at UH ����ԴDz� in August 2022.

The hala scale is an invasive insect that damages hala leaves as well as the tree’s fruit and young seedlings, which can prevent the regeneration of new hala. Common signs of infestation include wilted leaves and tiny black specks found primarily on the underside of leaves, as well as on the tops of leaves and on the hala fruit. Hala scale originated in Hāna, Maui in 1995 but has since spread to Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. In November 2021, UH ����ԴDz� was identified as one of three Oʻahu hot spots of the pest.

Prior to hala scale removal, UH ����ԴDz� was home to 54 hala trees. The hala scale on UH ����ԴDz�’s campus was concentrated in two main areas: the lower campus athletics complex and the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies. In addition to being a popular landscape plant, the hala is iconic in �鶹��ý and Polynesia for its versatility.

“It was used by many cultures for thousands of years, most notably the leaves being used and woven into basic necessities at the time, 1,500 years ago,” said Nōweo Kai, curator at the UH Campus Arboretum. “It was used for medicine, famine food and fibers. Hala leaves (lauhala) were even used to make sails for double-hull canoes.”

Researching solutions

Zhiqiang Cheng, an associate professor and extension specialist at CTAHR’s Department of , has been researching hala scale with his since 2016.

“HDOA staff reached out to me in 2016, and asked me to review the hala scale infestation situation on Chaminade University’s campus and set up a field research trial there,” said Cheng. “I then received funding to conduct a larger scale research trial on Maui, where hala scale is widespread.”

Working alongside Cheng is Mason Russo, a CTAHR PhD student in . Their research has so far identified several low-risk insecticides that are effective against hala scale. One of the insecticides—imidacloprid—was used to combat the hala scale at UH ����ԴDz�.

Eradicating the pest

Starting in January 2022, UH ����ԴDz� Landscape Services collaborated with Cheng and Russo to begin efforts for hala scale removal and treatment. Cheng communicated best practices for managing the pest, which landscaping then implemented.

Their efforts mainly involved the careful removal of infected hala. Landscaping personnel would cut down infected hala, placing it into a dedicated roll-off bin. After removal, they would drench the contents of the bin with imidacloprid (the insecticide that Cheng recommended), and leave the bin covered for two weeks before sending it to H-POWER for incineration. As a preventative measure, they also applied the insecticide to the ground below each tree that was removed. Anyone who worked on removal each day had to disinfect themselves and their tools with rubbing alcohol to prevent further spread of the pest.

Fifteen hala trees were removed from campus due to scale infestation. Hala that were not infested to the point of removal were also treated with imidacloprid. These efforts were well worth it, when the hala scale was officially deemed eradicated at UH ����ԴDz�.

Going forward, landscaping plans to continue the pesticide treatment on an annual basis. Through continued collaboration and due diligence, the hope is to prevent the remainder of the hala on campus from being infested and to mitigate further hala scale spread across Oʻahu.

—By Alisha Churma