Insect conservation on the Hawaiian islands: Strategies and recommendations for land managers

Insects are widely recognized as a significant component of Hawaii's endemic biota, but many species have suffered significant population declines in the past hundred years.  Although much research on the taxonomy and evolution of Hawaii's insects continues to be done, a lack of dialogue between specialized research entomologists and land managers is a source of frustration and a missed opportunity for immediate conservation action.  Here, we briefly outline some of the past impediments to taking conservation measures, including the lack of a centralized database that includes current and historical distributions, a deficiency of entomological awareness, and the logistic challenges of conserving tiny, highly diverse organisms.  Then, drawing on the knowledge and concerns of research entomologists and land managers alike, we present a series of specific management actions such as ant and wasp control, containment of invasive species, etc., that we believe are feasible for land management agencies to carry out, relevant to the concerns of the present day, and are general enough to have broad utility for insect conservation across the Hawaiian Islands and other island systems in general.