European wasps & birds

["Jenny Bounds" <>]

Greetings all:  Barbara, thanks for circulating this.  The ACT Government had a workshop on European Wasps last year.  As Barbara indicates, the wasps are bad news for our biodiversity - they have penetrated into Namadgi National Park for example.  

 

I have just had a nest of European Wasps eradicated -  the nest was a hole in the ground; mine was under a shrub in the garden.  Apparently this season is a bumper one for wasps.  I have been told that Weston Creek where I live is a hotspot.  A word of warning, these wasps have a nasty sting which causes a lot of swelling and leaves an inflamed wound like a small volcano for weeks.  I did not know a nest was there until I was stung, and it stung through my clothing.  If stung, an ice pack is the recommended treatment to reduce swelling.

 

The pest company which is recommended by the Wasp Hotline to remove nests is Jeremy Hart Pest management - 0403 318293/62428614, and it costs $80; they use a human safe chemical sprayed into the nest hole with compressed air.  Any wasps in the nest get coated and others which later come into the nest also get the chemical on them.  I would not recommend that yu try to deal with a nest yourself.

 

As far as ID goes, these wasps look like a slimline bee, but are very fast flying, and have various black markings on a yellow abdomen and yellow legs (bees have broad bands on the abdomen which are quite different and they are slower flyers).  If there is a wasp nest around you will see a constant stream of insects going in and out. As Barbara indicates they are often seen around a water source.  A neighbour of mine had seen them around her baby's paddling pool!!

cheers

Jenny