Wasp Problem

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networkn

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#142879 27-Mar-2014 15:20

http://www.stuff.co.nz/science/9875297/Huge-wasp-numbers-concern

We have noticed this summer that wasps numbers are massively increased (Mt Roskill, Auckland). I called a Wasp Disposal place, but they can't help unless you know where the nest is and if it's on your property. They can apparently travel upto 1KM, so not really sure what to do. One PM I counted 22 flying around.

Not really sure what do to.

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#1013933 27-Mar-2014 15:29

Not much you can do if the nest is not near you. Make sure things like compost bins are covered and away from the house, ensure the outside of the rubbish bin is clean and any windfall fruit from trees etc is disposed of. The cooler weather will be upon us soon and this is natures way of controlling them, however frosts are needed to do this.

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DravidDavid

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#1013936 27-Mar-2014 15:33

Wasps are crazy out of control at our house. We are surrounded 360 degrees by manuka trees and they love the stuff! We can't leave the doors open in this heat because 5 minutes later we will have 6 or 8 of them flying around inside!

Nasty little buggers! Can't wait for the cool weather.

scuwp

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#1013944 27-Mar-2014 15:37

My beef is with the fly/insect sprays being so ineffective. I wonder if that's because we have gone so super-sensitive and eco-friendly with toxins that they are almost a waste of time. In years past one puff of spray use to down most flying insects including wasps in seconds. Nowadays you can empty a couple of cans it seems and they still keep on going.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

MikeB4

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#1013945 27-Mar-2014 15:38

we need laser beams

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#1013946 27-Mar-2014 15:39

You could contact the council? Better if you can figure out which property the nests are on...

networkn

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#1013947 27-Mar-2014 15:39

scuwp: My beef is with the fly/insect sprays being so ineffective. I wonder if that's because we have gone so super-sensitive and eco-friendly with toxins that they are almost a waste of time. In years past one puff of spray use to down most flying insects including wasps in seconds. Nowadays you can empty a couple of cans it seems and they still keep on going.

Net Curtains prevent most flies/flying insects for us. We tried flyspray, but we had a better chance of beating them to death with the can or drowning them, we haven't found one spray this year that kills the flies quickly. They do seem to die, but usually some 45-60 minutes later.

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#1013948 27-Mar-2014 15:43

We have two of the auto sprayers they do a good job of keeping us clear.

networkn

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#1013956 27-Mar-2014 16:13

KiwiNZ: We have two of the auto sprayers they do a good job of keeping us clear.

We tried these but they didn't work this year?

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#1013959 27-Mar-2014 16:16

I think you are right, the nests on my property are also larger than normal this year, but I don't bother them and they don't bother me and I make a point of telling visitors to mind the nest. The way I see it, they have some benefit, don't bother me and will be gone soon enough.

About curtains - I have windows that open on the outsides where the curtains usually bunch up, so the bugs, wasps included usually go for the big windows in the middle and get stuck. I have found that if I bunch the curtains in the middle, such that the only windows visible are open, bugs manage to get out the house without a problem. I don't use sprays and haven't had to pick up a flyswatter since doing things this way - if the windows is closed, I make sure there is a curtain obscuring it.

I also remember reading a few months back that somebody discovered and published a paper that wasps can recognise people by face and will remember them and their threat level.

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#1013960 27-Mar-2014 16:18

We have also moved the waste bins further away form the house, which is a pain for me but this has helped.

networkn

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#1013961 27-Mar-2014 16:18

Heh $250M Jet can go missing and no-one can find it for nearly 3 weeks, but an insect with a brain half the size of the head of a pin can recognise people, remember them well enough to deal with the threat. Amazing.

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#1013962 27-Mar-2014 16:19

We saw a disturbing thing where a wasp attacked a monarch catepillar that was sitting minding it's own business on our herb garden, absolutely savaged it.

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#1013963 27-Mar-2014 16:23

Wasps serve no real use here and could devastate what is left of our Bee population, maybe we need to convince Gareth Morgan to drop his cat crusade and become the wasp crusader.

gundar

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#1013964 27-Mar-2014 16:24

networkn: Heh $250M Jet can go missing and no-one can find it for nearly 3 weeks, but an insect with a brain half the size of the head of a pin can recognise people, remember them well enough to deal with the threat. Amazing.

I stand corrected. The summary article I have just found is not clear. The full article is that wasps recognise other wasps by face.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/11/111202-wasps-people-faces-recognition-insects-science-animals/

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#1013966 27-Mar-2014 16:29

Have had more wasps than usual at my place too; killed off three nests so far and that appears to have done the trick, but after reading that article I'm not convinced that I won't see more of them...

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