23 EAST KAWILI STREET HILO, HI 96720 TEL: 808-933-3340 FAX: 808-933-3326 PROJECT REPORT TMT BIOLOGICAL MONITORING AND INSPECTIONS Calendar Year 2014 To: Sandra Dawson, TMT Observatory Corporation From: Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) Subject: Final Project Report: Implementation of a Biological Monitoring and Inspection Protocol on Mauna Kea (Calendar Year 2014) BIISC has completed the 2014 required monitoring and inspections according to OMKM- approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Inspections BIISC conducted 15 on-site inspections of equipment, trailers, or trucks. At several of these the inspector spent significant time training the operator/shipper on requirements of the inspections, and supervising some amount of remediation work. If the problem could be addressed immediately on site, the shipment was approved. Two inspections were rejected, where the hauler had made no attempt whatsoever to clean, remove debris and unnecessary material, and trucks were stored in lots overgrown with invasive weeds including fountain grass. The trucks were subsequently cleaned and reinspected. A single inspection of cargo other than heavy equipment--chairs for a ceremony-- passed without any problems. Biological Monitoring Weekly monitoring Weekly monitoring for invasive arthropods (spiders and insects) and weeds were carried out as required in support of a short term geotechnical study of the proposed project site. Traps were placed at fifteen predetermined locations according to the OMKM- approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) #10, a weekly facility monitoring protocol adapted for the outdoors. Twenty-two arthropod traps were set and collected weekly, including ant vials and arthropod sticky traps (Table 1). After traps were set, each site was surveyed for plants and arthropods for about 20 minutes. Weeds were pulled and root masses were checked for ants. All species encountered were recorded on weekly monitoring datasheets. Insects were sorted, identified to order, and curated by BIISC staff. Higher-order identification was conducted or supervised by UH Hilo Entomologist Jesse Eiben, Ph.D. Model specimens were retained as vouchers by Dr. Eiben to add to the OMKM arthropod reference collection. Remaining specimens were disposed of. Trap Type Description Purpose Ant Vial A plastic vial baited with peanut Provides carbohydrate, fat, protein, and butter, jelly, and spam moisture to attract ants. Vial is deployed for 1- 2 hours during warm sunny weather, collected the same day. Baited Sticky A cardboard trap with a sticky base Provides carbohydrate, fat, protein, and Trap (e.g. Hoy Hoy brand roach traps) moisture to attract ants and other insects. baited with peanut butter, jelly, Traps occasional crawling and flying insects. and spam. Deployed for one whole week. Increases probability of capturing single foraging ants and crawling arthropods in sticky traps. Table 1. Traps used during weekly monitoring. Relatively few specimens were collected at any site using these methods (116 out of 1,363). Commonly trapped insects included varieties of common flies and small wasps, native Lycosid spiders, ladybird beetles (ladybugs), and common native and non-native seed bugs (Nysius spp.). A single potentially threatening specimen of Coleoptera was recovered, an adult copra beetle, the larvae of which feed on protein rich tissue, such as copra and rotting or dried meat. This tropical species has been long established in lower elevations in Hawaii and is unlikely to establish a population the summit due to the lack of adequate food source for larval development. As long as animal carcasses and food trash do not become widespread new food sources, this species is unlikely to become established on the Mauna Kea Summit. A single specimen of an ant species, Plagiolepis alluaudi, the little yellow ant, was found in a sticky trap. The single worker ant was so minute it was spotted only under a microscope by the entomology technician back in the lab. This finding launched a full scale response effort, advised by Cas Vanderwoude of the Hawaii Ant Lab, and project entomologist Jesse Eiben, which included surveying a large area around the ant collection using baited vials, adapted to make it easier to spot the little, almost transparent, ants of this species. No other ants were found. Prior to the collection, several offerings were left and an ahu was erected near the site, in addition to the activity of the geotechnical work. Having found no evidence of an established colony, it was concluded that the non-reproductive worker ant had been incidentally carried to the site by human activity, but no further action was taken. Protocols were updated to use vials baited with peanut butter, spam, and cotton balls soaked in sugar water to make it easier to spot this type of ant in the future. Within the vicinity of the traps at the construction site, two common native grass species (Agrostis sandwicensis and Trisetum glomeratum), and at least one native fern (Asplenium adiantum-nigrum) were found. There were generally less than ten individual plants per site. The TMT Access Way was uniformly barren. Overall, the weekly monitoring protocol was relatively fast and simple. Traveling to and from the summit (4 hours including acclimatization) took longer than the field work (2-3 hours) most days. The very low number of specimens in sticky traps was probably a fair reflection of the flightless arthropod populations in these sites. Although almost no specimens were caught in ant vials at the summit, they are the method of choice for field monitoring across the state, and is successful at attracting most species in Hawaii within 15-30 minutes, so we do not recommend any changes. In addition, the weekly visits afforded opportunities to discuss invasive species issues informally with contractors and check for compliance with preventative measures, including keeping the site clean and free of garbage or debris, trucks clean and in good working order, weekly removal of cultural offerings, etc. Monthly and Annual Arthropod Monitoring Protocols Monthly monitoring was carried out before, during, and after the geotechnical work at eleven predetermined sites found in the OMKM- approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Work followed the OMKM Annual Arthropod Monitoring Protocol, adapted for TMT. No TMT compliance sites were omitted or modified from the location codes given in the OMKM- approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Three types of traps were set at eight of the eleven sites (Table 2). The unbaited (wet) pitfall trap was omitted from the eight sites that are known Nysius wekiuicola (wekiu bug) habitat, to avoid impact to that species. All our types of traps were set at the remaining three sites which are not located in Nysius wekiuicola habitat. After traps were set, each site was surveyed for plants and arthropods for about 20 minutes. Weeds were pulled and root masses were checked for ants. All species encountered were recorded on monthly monitoring datasheets and inputted on an excel data spreadsheet. Traps were left out for three consecutive nights then all were collected in a single work day. Insects were sorted, identified to order, and curated by BIISC staff. Rare species and higher-order identification was conducted or supervised by UH Hilo Entomologist Jesse Eiben, Ph.D. Model specimens were retained as vouchers by Dr. Eiben to add to the OMKM arthropod reference collection. Trap Type Description Purpose PBJS A chopstick baited with peanut Provides carbohydrate, fat, protein, and butter, jelly, and spam moisture to attract ants. Baited Pitfall A sunken cup trap baited with tuna Fish provides protein to attract predatory (wekiu trap) fish insects including wekiu. Water and shelter provided for wekiu survival. Yellow Pan A weighted yellow bowl containing Yellow attracts flying insects, particularly propylene glycol Hymenoptera, which are social and predatory insects of concern. Unbaited A sunken cup containing food Passive collection method. Arthropods fall in Pitfall grade propylene glycol and are preserved by the glycol. Annual Arthropod Monitoring Protocol (Biological Monitoring Along Access Way) One round of annual biological monitoring was conducted at the TMT Construction Site, along the proposed TMT Access Way, at the Batch Plant, and at the HP Staging Area. Access Way sites were monitored twice. Trapping protocol and schedule followed guidelines of the Conservation District Use Application, Appendix E (Arthropod Monitoring Protocol), and are inclusive of the monthly monitoring protocol (i.e. when annual monitoring is done, the monthly protocol and sites are included, not repeated). Additional trap types are included as recommended by the Office of Mauna Kea Management (OMKM) under their Early Detection and Wekiu Bug Monitoring SOP. Additional trap types were intended to broaden the ability to collect novel invasive species that might avoid baited pitfall traps. Plant species were listed at each trap site, and hand pulled at all sites except Hale Pohaku. Standard operating procedure with detailed methods is attached. Results Monitors collected, identified, and recorded 1,268 arthropod specimens during monthly and annual sampling in 2014. The most common species were discarded after being identified and recorded. The rare species and higher-order identification was conducted or supervised by UH Hilo Entomologist Jesse Eiben, Ph.D. Model specimens were retained as vouchers by Dr. Eiben to add to the OMKM arthropod reference