The Formosan subterranean (ground) termite is currently the most economically important insect pest in the state of Hawaii. Costs to residents of the State to control and repair termite damages have been estimated to exceed $100 million annually. The UH Termite project: Educate to Eradicate, led by Dr. J. Kenneth Grace and Dr. Julian R. Yates III and directed by Ms. Maria Aihara-Sasaki, is a statewide is a statewide program intended to suppress termites through research and education. The project is federally funded by the United States Department of Argiculture, Agricultural Research Services.

The educational outreach program is one component of this multi-faceted research project. Public schools are ideal locations to assess termite presence, as they are situated in every community and in every environment. Student involvement is viewed as research assistance, and as a method of extending the research information developed on termite prevention and control into the local community.

Participating teachers and students from Hawaii’s public schools will have an opportunity to interact with University of Hawaii’s research and education staff and learn science through hands-on activities designed to introduce insect exploration, most specifically on termites, in an inquiry-based setting in the classroom.