HONOLULU -- State agriculture officials gathered at Liliuokalani Botanical Garden Tuesday afternoon to release a small insect for a big job. They hope a tiny wasp, imported from Tanzania will save Hawaii's Wiliwili and Coral trees.

Trees across the state have been decimated by the Gall wasp. No bigger than a gnat, the wasps lay eggs in the leaves, and the larvae destroy them.

Scientists said they found a natural enemy in Tanzania another type of wasp. That wasp's larvae eat the Gall wasp larvae. The new Tanzanian wasps were released near infected Wiliwili trees. These wasps are ready to lay their eggs.

"This larvae then starts feeding on the fall wasp that's damaging the leaf. After it feeds on that it'll then go to another and another until it reaches large enough size and turns into an adult wasp then takes off," said Neil Reimer, with the Department of Agriculture.

Scientists said they hope to see results in a matter of months. They said they are confident the new "good" wasp won't have any unintended negative results.

"There are indications it will be very host-specific in Hawaii. What we don't know is how well it will do when it's established," Reimer said.

They'll be monitoring release sites across the state over the next few months, hoping to see the Tanzanian wasps killing off the Gall wasps.

Agriculture officials said they don't have enough of the good wasps for people who have infected trees on their property.

They said they hope nature will take its course and the good wasps will come.