Pacific Entomology and Botany Meeting 2025
The Hawaiian Entomological Society and the Hawaiʻi Rare Plant Restoration Group are pleased to announce the joint hosting of the Pacific Entomology and Botany Meeting, in Honolulu, December 3-5, 2025 at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel. The meeting will include research talks, forums, workshops and excursions relating to the ecology, evolution, conservation, and management of terrestrial invertebrates and plants in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
Plenary Speakers
We are thrilled to announce our distinguished plenary speakers:
Dr. Donald Drake, Interim Director, Lyon Arboretum, will be presenting Diversity and Conservation Status of Hawaiian Trees on Wednesday, 12/3.
Don Drake’s lifelong interest in natural history became focused on the Pacific Islands when he arrived in Tonga to teach science as a Peace Corps Volunteer in 1981, and became fascinated with the region’s flora and fauna. Since then, he has been fortunate to live and work in several Pacific archipelagoes, most recently while a botanist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. His research has focused on plant ecology and conservation, particularly on how changes in island animal communities—pollinators, seed dispersers, and seed predators—affect insular plant populations and communities. Throughout his career, he has benefitted greatly from the opportunity to work with people who were willing to share their extensive knowledge and appreciation of Pacific biodiversity and to work collaboratively to conserve it.
Dr. Jim Liebherr, Professor Emeritus and Emeritus Curator, Department of Entomology at Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, will be presenting Hawaiian Carabid Beetle Vignettes: What Can They Teach Us About Biodiversity? on Thursday, 12/4.
Jim Liebherr served as Curator of the Cornell University Insect Collection and Professor of Entomology during his professional career. In keeping with the CUIC’s research mission to document the World’s insect fauna so to advance knowledge of insect systematics, he came to Hawaii in 1991, commencing a long-term research project focused on Hawaii’s diverse beetle fauna. This project involved collaborative field surveys conducted with Hawaiian field biologists, followed by museum and laboratory research that supported taxonomic revisions of the Hawaiian carabid beetle species. Wanting to place Hawaiian carabid diversity in a worldwide context, he conducted field work in Australia, New Zealand, and the Society Islands, finding that in all these places Hawai`i beckoned from beyond the horizon. As Emeritus Curator he continues to improve the CUIC by contributing his taxonomic expertise. He is happy that carabid beetles discovered Hawai`i, and also happy that he can return to talk about them.
Dr. Wesley Knapp, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Plant Conservation, will be presenting From Isolated Islands to the Continent: Uniting to Save Earth’s Rarest Plants on Friday, 12/5.
Dr. Wesley Knapp is a leading voice in plant conservation with a career spanning over two decades. Born in Lawrence, MA and raised in Claremont, NH, Wes’s journey into the world of conservation began during his childhood in New England where time spent outdoors sparked a lifelong passion for nature. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Sciences from Catawba College, an M.S. in Plant Science from Delaware State University, and a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Wes began his career as Eastern Region Ecologist & Botanist for the Maryland Natural Heritage Program (2001–2016), followed by five years in the role of Mountains Botanist & Ecologist for North Carolina’s Natural Heritage Program. In 2021, he became Chief Botanist at NatureServe, and in 2025, was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Plant Conservation, a conservation nonprofit working with over 80 partnering institutions on three continents on the front lines to prevent plant extinction. With extensive field experience across the U.S. and abroad, Wes has led efforts to describe new plant species, prevent extinction events, and assess conservation priorities. His work is singularly focused on advancing conservation strategies that combat biodiversity loss driven by the sixth mass extinction.
Submission and Registration
Submission and registration are now closed, but please find the details below, if needed.
We are no longer receiving submissions.
- Individual talk
Include the individual talk title, author(s) and an abstract no longer than 250 words. Individual talks will be organized into sessions with similar topics for the meeting program. Presentations are 15 minutes, including questions. - Symposium
A symposium is a collection of talks by multiple speakers on a selected topic (for example: “Conservation of Native Pollination Systems”). Each time block is 90 minutes, allowing for 6 fifteen-minute talks. Include a symposium title, facilitator(s), number of desired blocks, and a symposium abstract no longer than 250 words. Please also include a list of individual talks, authors and individual talk titles (note, a talk title can be substituted for a short description of the species/subject matter which will be covered). - Forum
Include the facilitator(s), a discussion topic to explore, the target audience (e.g., managers, researchers, etc.), and a paragraph no longer than 250 words describing the purpose and need for the forum. The suggested length of each forum is 1.5 hours. - Workshop
Include the workshop lead, subject/topic, and a paragraph no longer than 250 words describing the objectives, potential number of participants, duration, and location. Workshops are meant to provide an opportunity to share technical expertise or training with others; e.g., an identification workshop. - Excursion
Include excursion lead, the destination, activities, potential number of participants. If the excursion is outdoors, include how strenuous it may be (e.g. beginner, intermediate, advanced for hiking). Deadline for proposing excursions will likely extend beyond the June 30th.
Update 11/25/2025: We have closed registration. If you were on the waitlist you will receive an update from coordinator@laukahi.org. Thank you for your understanding.
- Students: $ 110
- Early bird registration (through August 31st): $ 275
- Regular registration (September 1st – October 31st): $ 350
- Late registration (November 1st – December 5th): $ 400
Registration includes:
- Three days of face-to-face networking with top entomological and botanical experts
- Eligibility to present your research
- Lunch during conference sessions on December 3 and 4, drinks and refreshments during breaks
- Cocktail and pupu reception on evening of December 3
- Free parking with validation (although we promote carpooling and public transport)
For questions regarding refunds, please contact hientsoc@hawaii.edu.
Schedule in Oxford Abstracts
The final schedule of PEBM 2025 is available: https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/75311/program
Please utilize the Oxford Abstract System to explore and view the amazing presentations, plenaries, workshops, and forums scheduled for our meeting. After logging in, select Program (red highlight). You can bookmark (yellow highlight) the sessions and presentations you are interested in, and then filter to see your bookmarked, personalized schedule (green highlight).
Additional Meeting Information & Announcements
Finding your way
The Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel will have signage that directs you to the meeting area. You will first see the registration desk, where you can pick up your name badge. Please wear your name badge at all times so that we know that you are a registered guest.
Presentation upload
If you are a presenter, please upload your presentation no later than the morning of your talk on the computer in the room where you will be presenting. You can upload your presentation on day 1 between 7:30–9:00 AM, or on day 2 and 3 between 8:00–9:30 AM. Please bring your presentation in powerpoint (.PPTX) or pdf (.PDF) format on a USB thumb drive or external hard disk.
Food lines and empty seats
With 250 people we will be at the max of the venue capacity. To make the meeting run smoothly and enjoyable for everyone, please wrap the food lines on both sides of the tables when possible, and take your food into the ballroom to eat. Don’t leave empty seats between yourself and new friends you have yet to meet, during the breaks, or during presentations.
Areas for talking
The walls between the rooms are not sound-proof. Out of respect for presenters, please refrain from talking in the foyer area (see map) when presentations are ongoing. The registration desk area can be used for talking.
Parking
Parking at the venue is valet only. The meeting organization will validate valet costs (except tip), but we will be charged on a per use basis so we would appreciate if you can carpool or use public transport as much as possible. A valet validation sticker can be obtained at the registration desk (max 1 per person per day).
Photo contest
We are still accepting and very much inviting more photo submissions! The photos will be displayed during the breaks and you can vote on your favorite. The winner will be announced on Friday morning!
Beer Release Party with Hana Koa Brewing!
Hana Koa Brewing is helping us celebrate the Pacific Entomology and Botany Meeting with a special brew – introducing Kolokolo Tunnel Vision, a hazy IPA inspired by Hawai‘i’s native insects and plants. A portion of proceeds from this beer will support conservation efforts that protect Hawai‘i’s native species through the Hawaiian Entomological Society and the Hawai‘i Rare Plant Restoration Group! 💚
Join us for the release party!
📅 Thursday, Dec 4, 2025
🕠 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 Hana Koa Brewing, Honolulu
962 Kawaiahao St., Honolulu, HI 96814
The release party will be a private event for PEBM attendees only. And while we’d love to see all 250 of you here, the event space is best for ~75 attendees (so come early!). If you’re eager to catch up over a pint with a special plant or entomology friend, we recommend RSVP’ing a table at Hana Koa at https://www.hanakoabrewing.com/reservations.
Come enjoy a great brew, relax with your conservation friends, and learn about the Pacific Entomology and Botany Meeting!
Mahalo to the Hana Koa Brewing team for their incredible support to protecting our native ecosystems! 🌿🪲
Workshops and Excursions
We are pleased to offer several workshops and excursions on Friday, December 5. These will be open to to conference registrants only, on a first come, first served basis. The details for each activity can be found in the toggle menu below. Please note most of these occur from 1:30-3:30pm, so please only select one and use the links below to sign up.
Date: Friday, Dec. 5th, 1:30-3:30pm
Location: Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel
Description: The purpose of the 2-hour workshop is to continue building capacity by providing members of the conservation community the skills and information needed to quickly identify land snails in Hawai’i. At the end of the workshop, 50 participants will be able to:
– Identify the most common non-native land snails established in Hawaiʻi and differentiate them from native species and other non-native with which they may be confused
– Identify the 13 Hawaiian land snail families
– Learn to properly image snails for identification via iNaturalist
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/c97WsUiSP6FjwxD9A
Date: Friday, Dec. 5th, 1:30-3:30pm
Location: Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel
Description: The native Hawaiian Lepidoptera fauna consists of 945 described species, but another ~1000 undescribed species are thought to exist. Unfortunately, nearly 40% of species have not been observed or collected in >50 years. The non-native fauna, comprising ~200 species, dominates many urban and low-elevation habitats. Conservation efforts of native Lepidoptera are dependent on precise and accurate identification. This 2-hour workshop will assist in learning to identify common native and non-native Lepidoptera in Hawaii with a special focus on non-technical identification (i.e., from photos). At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to 1) identify the most common native moths to the genus level (species level in some instances); 2) explain the relationship of major native moth taxa and specific host plants; 3) identify the most common non-native moths to the species level; 4) learn photography tips and techniques to facilitate identification of Lepidoptera in Hawaii; and 5) learn to use iNaturalist for identification of Lepidoptera in Hawaii.
This workshop has reached maximum capacity!
Date: Friday, Dec 5th, 1:30-4:00 pm.
Location: Pearl City, 96782 (address will be provided upon confirmation of registration)
Description: The Snail Extinction Prevention Program (SEPP) and the Hawaii Invertebrate Program (HIP) house some of the rarest native snail and insect species in their labs. The SEPP lab maintains populations of 40 species of land snails, many of which are extinct in the wild. The HIP insectary maintains a colony of orangeblack Hawaiian damselflies (Megalagrion xanthomelas) as well as other native insects. Participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at these rare invertebrates and the great care that goes into raising them in captivity.
The tour is limited to 20 participants. We will split into two groups to spend about 1 hour in each lab.
When registering, please indicate if you need (or can offer) transportation. We will do our best to coordinate carpooling among organizers and participants.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/jF32befk9haXhmii9
Date: Friday, Dec 5th, 12:30-5:30 pm.
Location: UH Insect Museum, 6th floor of Gilmore Hall at Gilmore Hall, 2818-2956 Maile Way in Honolulu
Description: On the afternoon of December 5, as PEBM draws to a close, we will host an open house/social hour at the UH Insect Museum with free lunch, beer, wine, and plenty of non-alcoholic refreshments. Whether you’re an entomologist, or a non-specialist who’s curious to see displays of native Hawaiian insects in one of the best places to study them, this is an opportunity to unwind after the meeting with other friends of the local entomofauna. This is also an opportunity to check out our merch, including our new Bone Collector t-shirt – all hand-printed by an artist/entomologist who works in the museum.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/c9xQTDDgfV7sJbxX7
Date: Friday, Dec 5th, 1:00-5:30pm
Location: Kaiwi Coast and Koko Crater Botanical Garden
Description: Visit the Kaiwi Coast and Koko Crater Botanical Garden with experts in entomology, botany, restoration, and horticulture. On the afternoon of Friday, December 5th, we will tour restoration efforts by the US Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Islands Coastal Program, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife and State Parks, 808Cleanups and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, at the scenic Kaiwi Coastline. This wild stretch of coast provides habitat for rare and endemic, yellow-faced bees, and many native coastal-strand plants. After, we will head up to Koko Crater Botanic Garden to experience the dryland forest and Hawaiian Rare Plant Living Collections. Koko Crater Botanic Garden tends to over 30 unique Hawaiian species, 25 of which are federally listed as endangered. This ex-situ living collection of rare native plants represents clones and wild collections used to perpetuate the conservation of these species through seed /fruit collection for storage, research, and increasing genetic backups for these rare species.
Excursion limited to 20 participants. We will leave the hotel at 1:00 pm and plan to return to the hotel by 5:30 pm. If driving separately plan to meet the group at Kaiwi at 1:45 pm.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/1yW9VuNXRJfUUTMA6
Official PEBM 2025 Shirts!
Get your T-shirt or hoodie at: https://www.bonfire.com/pacificentbotmeeting/
This year’s artwork is by renowned local artist Saxony Charlot (https://autochthonoushawaii.com/, instagram @autochthonous_hawaii) and features a Hawaiian endemic leaf-mining moth (Philodoria lysimachiella) on its host plant (Lysimachia hillebrandii). The caterpillars of this moth are so tiny they make tunnels inside the leaves! The adults have a beautiful iridescent wing pattern. This species is endemic to the Waiʻanae mountains of Oʻahu and exemplifies resilience and grace.
The shirt sizes tend to run somewhat small; so size up if you are in between. We will have a selection of sizes and colors available at the meeting for test-fitting, but shirts will only be sold online through the bonfire webshop.
Location and Lodging
The meeting will be held at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel, at 2500 Kuhio Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815. The meeting has reserved a convenient block of rooms at the hotel for the nights of December 3 and 4, 2025 (check out December 5). Please use this link to access the discount. The discounted rate is $ 229 / night + resort fee ($ 30) and local taxes, and availability may be limited. An additional guest can be added to a room for $40. For any guests wishing to book outside the contracted dates of December 3-5, it is advised to contact the Reservation Team at 808-921-5508 to be honored with the group rate.
All attendees should make their own arrangements to get to and from the hotel/airport.
Questions? Contact:
HES point of contact: hientsoc@hawaii.edu
HRPRG point of contact: coordinator@laukahi.org
Laukahi has a growing number of partners that help to implement the Hawai‘i Strategy for Plant Conservation by supporting our initiatives, conducting field work to protect native habitats, propagate and secure propagules in ex situ facilities, and do research to inform strategies.
Mahalo to all our partners!