National Park Service officials said the Steam Vents parking lot at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will be closed from 8 a.m. to noon on March 14 for the treatment of invasive little fire ants.

Going forward, the park plans to treat the Steam Vents every six weeks and will announce closures in advance on the park website and its social media channels. The goal, officials said, is to completely eradicate the ants from the area.

Scientists first made the unwelcome discovery of little fire ants in the park in late 2018 at three acres of the popular Steam Vents area. The ants, which deliver a painful sting when disturbed, were the first known populations in the park.

While no bites have yet been reported in the park, officials said little fire ants are a major threat to native species, including other insects and birds, as well as to humans.

Only the Steam Vents parking lot and the trail from the parking lot to Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff) will be closed the morning of March 14; Wahinekapu and Crater Rim Trail will remain open.

“We are optimistic that our efforts to eliminate little fire ants from this site will be successful, and we again remind the public to check their vehicles and belongings to ensure they do not inadvertently bring little fire ants into the park,” said park ecologist David Benitez in a news release.

More information on little fire ants and how to prevent spreading them is available at littlefireants.com.