It’s Tree Time

Inspectors check the Christmas shipment for pests and disease

Inspectors from the Department of Agriculture vigorously shook Christmas trees at the Matson Navigation Co. Pier at Sand Island yesterday to check for any unwanted pests after more than 100 containers filled with trees arrived over the weekend.

No unwanted stowaway pests were found in any of the refrigerated containers that were to be released to retailers today.

State Entomologist Darcy Oishi said the inspectors' primary focus was German yellow jackets, which he described as "very aggressive."

"They will move indoors into homes," he said, noting that New Zealand had a problem with the yellow jackets prompting the country to initiate an eradication program. "It was impacting tourism," Oishi said. "They can get so bad."

About 100 containers arrived in Honolulu on Nov. 18, and about 100 more arrived Saturday night. A final shipment of trees is expected this Saturday, said Gary Nakamatsu, assistant vice president for Matson, which has been carrying Christmas trees to Hawaii from the Pacific Northwest for more than 100 years.

Fewer than a third of the containers that passed inspection were to be shipped to the neighbor islands, where they were scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

Inspectors also checked the trees for a fungal disease called sudden oak death, but as of yesterday morning all the trees looked healthy.

After inspectors aggressively pounded and shook trees over a large white sheet, they used their fingers or the end of a small paintbrush to search through the fallen needles for any pests.

Over the years, Oishi said, inspectors have noticed a drop in bugs found in trees. The wet weather, pesticides used in containers and tree growers being more proactive in cutting and packing trees are contributing factors to a drop in pests found on trees, he said.

One container had a sign posted to the trunk of the trees to notify inspectors that the trees were already shaken by the Oregon Agriculture Department and were free of yellow jacket queens.

Some caterpillars, slugs and earthworms were found on trees, Oishi said, adding that they are common and do not pose a danger to the trees.

While officials spent the day inspecting trees at Matson, some shoppers at Don Quijote (formerly Daiei) near Ala Moana Center searched for the perfect tree yesterday. For some, size and the smell of pine were key to finding a good tree, while cost was the key for others.

Mina and Koji Kato went for the least expensive tree, a Douglas fir about 5 to 8 feet high that cost $19.97.

"This is our first real Christmas tree," Mina Kato said. "We always had the artificial ones growing up."

"We always wanted a real one. ... Might as well this year," she said.

Table-top trees priced at $22.99 were selling out quickly because of the small size and affordable price, said Gale Kusumoto, cashier at Don Quijote.

Kusumoto said she expects a majority of people to purchase trees this Saturday.

For those concerned about whether the tree will stay fresh throughout the holiday season, merchandise clerk Laurence Rosario recommended that shoppers purchase preservatives to add to the water for the tree.

He also said tree buyers should continue to add water to the base and to change the water every two weeks. A sponge can be used to absorb the water when changing it, Rosario said.

He also suggested that trees be situated in a shaded area in the home, away from direct sunlight, to help keep the trees fresh.

"Location in the home is important," Rosario said.