Coleotichus blackburniae as they develop. This insect occurs on all the main islands of Hawaii. They are found on `a`ali`i ("Dodonaea viscosa") bushes and koa ("Acacia koa") trees. Also found on Formosan Koa (Acacia confusa) which is native to Southeast Asia. It has been commonly used in Hawaii as an ornamental landscape tree that has been deemed invasive. A. confusa and A. koa both have distinctive phyllodes that differentiate each species but since its introduction C. blackburniae has been recorded to associate with the invasive Formosan koa. Common to all true bugs, this species has no mouth parts with which to bite,
Acacia koa used by ancient Hawaiians to build "waa" (dugout outrigger canoes) and "papa hee nalu" (surfboards). Only "paipo" (bodyboards), "kikoo", and "alaia" surfboards were made from koa, however; "olo", the longest surfboards, were made from the lighter and more buoyant "wiliwili" ("Erythrina sandwicensis"). The reddish wood is very similar in strength and weight to that of Black Walnut ("Juglans nigra"), with a specific gravity of 0.55, and is sought for use in wood carving and furniture. Koa is also a tonewood, often used in the construction of ukuleles, acoustic guitars, and Weissenborn-style Hawaiian steel guitars. B.C. Rich used koa on some