The Brown Tree Snake is an invasive species in the state of Hawaii. In Guam, the snake is believed to have been accidentally introduced hidden in cargo and has decimated bird populations there. Photo from dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc.

What do the Africanized Honey Bee, Brown Tree Snake, Cattails, Coqui Frogs and Wood Rose have in common? They are all considered high-profile invasive species in Hawaii.

If you spot one of them, you should report it right away to the Pest Hotline at 808-643-PEST. You can also report a pest online and find all the information you need at Hawaii's new one-stop shop website at dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc.

Coqui frogs have invaded the Big Island. From dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc.

The Hawaii Invasive Species Council and University of Hawaii launched the new website, which also details funded projects, reports to the state legislature and Hawaii's coqui frog management plan.

Invasive species are a big problem in Hawaii due to the state's geographic isolation. Hawaii's native plant and animal species (those that arrived here naturally via wind, waves and birds) have little defense against competitive species.

The results can be really destructive to Hawaii's natural ecosystem. Miconia, an invasive plant from South America, for example, overtakes forests and prevents the growth of other plants, causing erosion. The Brown Tree Snake decimated bird populations on Guam. If you've been on the Big Island at dusk, you've probably heard the chorus of Coqui frogs, which chirrup annoyingly from dusk to dawn, but also disrupt the balance of vulnerable native ecosystems.

While the Brown Tree Snake is not known to be present in Hawaii at this time, eight were discovered in the state between 1981 and 1998, mostly likely carried here in civilian and military vehicles or cargo from Guam.

The Wood Rose, with its yellow flowers, can be seen in many Hawaii yards, but the woody, climbing vine is considered invasive and chokes and smothers plants.

Click here to see a quick list of invasives in Hawaii.

Quiz: Strawberry guava — invasive or non-invasive?

Strawberry guava is an invasive species in Hawaii. Learn more during Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness Week March 4 to 10. Photo from www.discoverlife.org.

Answer: Invasive.

Though we see plenty of strawberry guava during our hikes on Oahu as well as in people's yards, strawberry guava, which was introduced to Hawaii from Brazil in 1825, is an invasive species that invades native forests. With no natural enemies or competitors in the isles, strawberry guava forms dense thickets replacing native Hawaiian plants and damages the watershed.

What are invasive species?

Invasive species are 1) Harmful to the environment, economy and/or human health and 2) Not native to the area in which it is presenting a problem.

The first Hawai‘i Invasive Species Awareness Week takes place from Monday (March 4) to March 10.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie kicks off the week with a proclamation at 10 a.m. Monday at the state Capitol, followed by an awards ceremony to honor individuals and groups that have made a difference in protecting Hawaii from invasive species.

See the full list of honorees at www.hisaw2013.blogspot.com.

During the week, join Hawaii Bioblitz's mission to find out what's living in your backyard. The public is invited to submit photos of plants and animals in Hawaii and to post them to the project website. More than 30 local experts are volunteering to help the public identify the plants and animals in their photos, and determine whether they are native, non-native or invasive species. Go to  www.hisaw2013.blogspot.com for more information.

Want to do more to combat invasive species?

There are volunteer opportunities across the state, which include managing invasive plants on Mauna Kea (Saturday, March 2) or helping with the Manoa Cliff forest restoration (Sunday, March 3). You can also help remove invasive species at Lyon Arboretum  or pull invasive algae from Oahu's fishponds on Saturday (March 9). You can also pull weeds in the Alakai bog on Kauai.

Click here for a list of invasive species awareness week events.

Malama Maunalua has been clearing Maunalua Bay of invasive algae, along with other environmental projects. Help "Huki" tomorrow morning (Saturday) at Paiko Dr. Photo of Maunalua Bay from malamamaunalua.org.

If you're looking for something to do tomorrow (Saturday) morning, then why not yoga and some invasive algae clearing on a beautiful coastline?

Malama Maunalua invites the public to bring family and friends to its Paiko Drive "Huki" from 8 a.m. to noon tomorrow (Jan. 19).

First, to get focused, enjoy power yoga from 8 to 9:15 a.m. with Lehua Kai at Kuliouou Beach Park, then head over to Paiko Drive at 9:30 a.m. for the Huki, which means to "pull" or "remove" invasive algae from Maunalua Bay.

Invasive algae has invaded roughly 200 acres at Maunalua Bay, suffocating native coral and killing the reef. Malama Maunalua, a non-proift, has been working on removing the algae and monitoring the bay on a regular basis for the past few years.

Parking is limited, so carpooling is encouraged. Participants should also bring a reusable water bottle, dress in clothes that can get wet and dirty. Call Malama Maunalua at 395-5050 if you have questions.

The coqui tree frog, originally from Puerto Rico, is just about the size of a quarter, but reproduces quickly and makes a loud "ko-KEE" noise from dusk to dawn. OISC invites Oahu residents to go out and listen for the invasive coqui frogs as part of a new monitoring program via a new app on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser archives photo.

If you've ever been to Hawaii island, then you've no doubt heard the unmistakable "ko-KEE, ko-KEE, ko-KEE!" as dusk settled in.

Soon the lone call of the coqui frog, a Puerto Rican tree frog and invasive species in Hawaii, is joined by several other voices to create a cacophony to — shall we say — serenade you throughout the night.

While lone coqui frogs have been discovered on the island of Oahu from time to time, they have not yet established a population here.

The Oahu Invasive Species Committee hopes to keep it that way, and so this Wednesday (Sept. 12) has been established as "Go Out and Listen Night." OISC invites all Oahu residents to help listen for the invasive coqui frogs for a period of 15 minutes from 7:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Report whether you did or did not hear a coqui frog in your area via the city's new "Honolulu 311" app.

For details on how to participate, or to hear what a coqui frog sounds like (if you've never been so lucky), or step-by-step instructions on how to use the app, visit www.coqui311.blogspot.com.

Coqui frogs, native to Puerto Rico, typically hitchhike to the island through potted plants or other items shipped from Hawaii island. They are light-brown to dark-colored frogs with variable patterns and reach up to two inches as adults. The "ko-KEE" is the male coqui's mating call, which sounds like a two-note, bird chirp (click hear to listen to a sample online). To learn more, visit the Hawaii Department of Agriculture website.

Since the beginning of this year, 20 coqui frogs have been captured on Oahu.

"Coqui frogs threaten to deprive residents of a good night's sleep with their earsplitting 'ko-KEE' calls that last from dusk until dawn, lower the value of properties, discourage tourism and alter the island's natural ecosystems by consuming beneficial insects that play an important role in nutrient cycling processes," says OISC in a press release.

If you don't have a smartphone, you can still report coqui frogs by emailing OISC at oisc@hawaii.edu or calling the state pest hotline, 643-PEST.