Fern Forest (Hilo: subdivisions, salaries, live)

[420.AnGIe.808]

Noise is so minor, I worry more for our native animals and plants. They are what make this island unique. I'd rather deal with over sized frogs then rattle snakes, and coyotes though The main land out door animals freak me out!

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by 420.AnGIe.808

Noise is so minor, I worry more for our native animals and plants. They are what make this island unique. I'd rather deal with over sized frogs then rattle snakes, and coyotes though

Are you sure you know what coquis are? The loud noise is not minor, especially if it keeps you from sleeping, as it does for many. And they are not oversized, they are tiny, about an inch long. And they are definitely competing with native species for food and habitat.

Here's an excerpt from the state website on the problem:

• Coqui do not have natural enemies in Hawai`i to keep the population in check. The warm tropical weather likely promotes breeding all year long.
• In some areas, populations may exceed 10,000 frogs per acre, which consume more than 50,000 insects per night. As such, coqui may endanger native Hawaiian insect populations, including plant pollinators, and compete with Hawai`i's native birds.
• The noise levels have been measured at up to 80-90 decibels, comparable to that produced by a lawnmower.
• Coqui infested areas have caused restless nights for residents and visitors who are unable to sleep due to the noise produced by the shrieking frogs.

Coqui Frog Information — Hawaii Department of Agriculture

[McFrostyJ]

Originally Posted by OpenD

In some areas, populations may exceed 10,000 frogs per acre...

WOW! I would NOT want to live in the middle of THAT acre of land!

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by McFrostyJ

WOW! I would NOT want to live in the middle of THAT acre of land!

I know! I went to an acoustic guitar concert down below Pahoa and the performer was drowned out by the coquis!

[terracore]

While I am essentially "against" any non-native species wreaking havoc on a fragile ecosystem, I have to say that the coquis don't bother me. They remind me of the crickets and frogs I grew up with in Oregon (along with trains, airplanes, cars etc, the natural sounds were preferable). I actually find their sound a bit lulling. But I can understand those who grew up with quiet nights and being robbed of that by the coquis. But I'd wager that in a generation, few will remember what it was like before the coqui invasion, and tourists will tell fond stories of the frog sounds they heard at night on the islands when they return to the mainland. I'd rather hear coquis than a barking dog... and dogs are everywhere.

[CyberCity]

Coqui Frog Calls (turn on volume)

Full force coqui calls is amazing loud. Coming back from a night viewing of a lava flow, we walked a mile down a dirt road in a dark undeveloped area. It was unbelievable how loud the chorus of coqui calls were!

[terracore]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Are you sure you know what coquis are? The loud noise is not minor, especially if it keeps you from sleeping, as it does for many. And they are not oversized, they are tiny, about an inch long. And they are definitely competing with native species for food and habitat.

Here's an excerpt from the state website on the problem:

• Coqui do not have natural enemies in Hawai`i to keep the population in check. The warm tropical weather likely promotes breeding all year long.
• In some areas, populations may exceed 10,000 frogs per acre, which consume more than 50,000 insects per night. As such, coqui may endanger native Hawaiian insect populations, including plant pollinators, and compete with Hawai`i's native birds.
• The noise levels have been measured at up to 80-90 decibels, comparable to that produced by a lawnmower.
• Coqui infested areas have caused restless nights for residents and visitors who are unable to sleep due to the noise produced by the shrieking frogs.

Coqui Frog Information — Hawaii Department of Agriculture

According to Coqui & greenhouse frogs: alien Caribbean frogs in Hawaii the 90-100 decibel measurements used are taken at 18 inches. At 100 feet without anything to absorb or block the sound, it would drop to 50. 100 feet away with filtered natural barriers, (forest, trees, landscaping, etc), the decibels would drop to about 30, and would be even lower if you are inside your home. For some examples, lawnmowers are 90 decibels, snoring is 85 decibels, normal "outdoors" (no traffic or people) is 20 decibels, background noise in a library is 40 decibels, heavy traffic is 85 decibels, normal conversation is 60 decibels, a whisper is 15 decibels. To say that a coqui frog is as loud as a lawnmower might be an accurate statement, but it is not a practical statement. The frog would have to be on your pillow to be that loud. Inside your home, with frog-unfriendly landscaping, the true measurement of the noise is closer to a whisper than a lawnmower. While I can't sleep with somebody in the room whispering (its creepy) I have no problem sleeping through the frogs. The human ear perceives a 10dB reduction in sound as roughly reducing the volume by half. For example, a sound reduction from 90dB to 80dB seems half as loud. So measuring outdoor coqui frogs from indoors, over distance, with natural barriers, going from 90 db to 10-15 db is very close to silence. If you are sleeping next to an open window with a frog on a tree right outside of it, yes it will probably keep you up. It is easier to get rid of the tree and/or close the windows than lose a battle trying to kill all the frogs.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by terracore

According to Coqui & greenhouse frogs: alien Caribbean frogs in Hawaii the 90-100 decibel measurements used are taken at 18 inches. At 100 feet without anything to absorb or block the sound, it would drop to 50.

Fine, but who is going to keep all vegetation trimmed back 100 feet from the house?

They don't bother you, fine. But even inside, with the windows closed, they bother me a lot. Different strokes, brah.

[CyberCity]

Originally Posted by OpenD

They don't bother you, fine. But even inside, with the windows closed, they bother me a lot. Different strokes, brah.

Ain't that the truth!! And, who wants to have to close up their house at night due to frog noises?

I've heard the frogs in areas of populated Hilo, which were manageable. And I've heard them in an open vegetated area, totally too loud. [Thus the advice for potential home buyers to visit the location AT NIGHT, BEFORE they sign a contract.]

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by CyberCity

Ain't that the truth!! And, who wants to have to close up their house at night due to frog noises?

I've heard the frogs in areas of populated Hilo, which were manageable. And I've heard them in an open vegetated area, totally too loud. [Thus the advice for potential home buyers to visit the location AT NIGHT, BEFORE they sign a contract.]

They are extremely loud at the Hilo Hawaiian hotel where I stay when I'm working there. Nonstop dusk to sunrise.