Haleakala National Park will close its Holua section of the backcountry area from the evening of July 14 to July 15. This closure is so that park biologists can control invasive Argentine ants.
“Argentine ants prey upon native insects,” stated a July 8 Haleakala National Park news release. “One insect that is highly vulnerable to ant predation is the endemic yellow-faced bee, which is a primary pollinator of the threatened Haleakala `ahinahina (silversword). This species of `ahinahina is found on Haleakala and nowhere else on earth.”
Holua has one of three of Haleakala’s wilderness cabins, located in the Ko`olau Gap. It’s only accessible by hiking 3.7 miles down the Halemau`u Trail or 7.4 miles from the Sliding Sand trailhead. The Holua cabin and campsite will be affected by the closure. Park officials say Holua will reopen on July 15 in the late afternoon.
Photo: Paul Krushelnycky
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