7/17/26 – HAWAIIAN INSECT DISCOVERIES BRING HOPE FOR RARE SPECIES
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JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR |
RYAN K.P. KANAKAʻOLE |
HAWAIIAN INSECT DISCOVERIES BRING HOPE FOR RARE SPECIES
New Populations of Hawaiian Moths and Damselflies Found in Unexpected Locations
HONOLULU – New populations of two species of endangered Hawaiian moth and damselfly have been discovered on islands where those species had been thought to no longer exist. They are the Blackburn’s sphinx moth (Manduca blackburni) and the pinapinao, or Hawaiian damselfly (Megalagrion nesiotes).
The discoveries by staff at the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) bring hope for the continued existence and recovery of these endangered species.
“Hawaiʻi’s native insect populations are largely declining because of predation, competition with non-native species and habitat loss,” said Janis Matsunaga, DOFAW entomologist. “Populations of these insects often quietly blink out, island-by-island, until they become extinct. Rediscovery of these species is unexpected and encouraging.”
Endangered Blackburn’s Sphinx Moth: Rediscovered on Lāna‛i and Moloka‛i
The Blackburn’s sphinx moth, one of Hawai‘i’s largest native insects, was once found across all of the main Hawaiian Islands. The species was believed to be extinct in the late 1970s but was rediscovered on East Maui in 1984. Since then, additional populations have been found on Kahoʻolawe and Hawai‘i Island. The moth was thought to be extirpated (locally extinct) on other islands in Hawai‘i.
In May 2026, DOFAW staff in the Hawaiʻi Invertebrate Program discovered 10 Blackburn’s sphinx moth caterpillars in Lānaʻi City. This is the third sighting since 22 caterpillars were discovered in 2009; and a single caterpillar in 2025, possibly an indication of a sustained population. In May and June 2026, DOFAW staff also discovered Blackburn’s sphinx moth caterpillars in Hālawa Valley and Kalaupapa, Molokaʻi. These are the first individuals confirmed on Molokaʻi since it was believed to have been extirpated from the island in the 1940s.
Endangered Pinapinao (Hawaiian Damselfly): Rediscovered on Hawai‘i Island After 102 Years
During a routine training in the Waiākea Forest Reserve in October 2025, a DOFAW employee captured and photographed a male Hawaiian damselfly. This is the first confirmed sighting of the species on Hawai‘i Island since 1923.
“I would have never guessed that we would find a critically endangered species in a eucalyptus plantation, a habitat previously thought unsuitable for the species,” said Brendan Wang, the DOFAW employee who discovered the pinapinao. “Since there are native plants in the understory, these damselflies have been able to persist. We encourage everyone to learn about native invertebrates and to report sightings of rare species to aid in conservation management.”
New sightings of native invertebrates can be reported to a DOFAW office.
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RESOURCES
(All images/video courtesy: DLNR, unless otherwise noted)
Photographs – Hawaiian Insect Discoveries (various):
Links:
Media contact:
Ryan Aguilar
Communications Specialist
State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources
E-mail: [email protected]
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