Kailua residents should follow the lead of many community groups on Maui and Hawaii that have become the first line of defense against coqui frog infestations.

Though government agencies can respond when the noisy amphibians are discovered, residents need to educate themselves to keep the frogs at bay. Once coquis increase their range and population, there won't be enough government resources to cope with them.

Community organizations on the neighbor islands have largely assumed the task of controlling the shrieking creatures. As infestations have expanded, state and county staffs have been unable to keep up.

Besides the racket, the voracious coqui pose a threat to Hawaii's ecosystem, competing with native birds for insect food. While this isn't much of a worry on Oahu, where few native habitats are intact, the adaptable frog can become a plague of noise for residents and tourists. Home and commercial property sales also have been affected when potential buyers learn of infestation.

Lanikai, Kailua and Kaneohe are the sites of the most recent discoveries, but coquis have been found in Wahiawa, Waimanalo, Kahaluu and the North Shore. They are usually transported in plants from Hawaii island, but mulch, fern logs and other material also can harbor eggs or adult frogs.