European wasps & birds - BAITS

[Julian Robinson <>]

I've just had a European Wasp nest poisoned in my wall cavity, using the
pest exterminator mentioned by Jenny and promoted by the EW hot
line.  One crazed wasp full of permethrin bit me so I'm not
happy.  A few points I've learned, mostly from "Mr Wasp",
Dr Philip Spradbery who runs the EW hot line...

There are possible baiting systems, but the good one relies on a chemical
not freely available, and the other (approved) one seems (to Philip) less
likely to clean up a nest since it uses fast-acting insecticide and he
wonders whether enough will get back into the nest since most or all the
wasps will be killed on the spot. (the same insecticide that was just
puffed in talcum powder into my nest).

Bait Method 1 - Fipronil in chicken mince, suitably protected from
being eaten by mammals and birds which may be injured or killed by
fipronil, and hopefully away from bees and other insects which it will
definitely kill.  This is an effective slow poison and being on meat
means it probably won't attract bees etc. It is taken back to the nest
before the insect dies, where it effectively kills the rest of the
nest.  But Fipronil is not available in a suitable form in Australia
acc to Philip, because of controversy re Fipronil's ability to injure and
kill mammals, including us.

Bait Method 2 - a home-made contraption with liver as an
attractant and permethrin as the insecticide.  This is approved, but
as I said above may not be so effective.  Details are in attached
image file.

European Wasp reports are double those of last year in the ACT and
represent an increasingly serious problem.  No Australian government
seems to be interested in the problem and CSIRO doesn't have any
resources devoted to it.  In some parts of the country eg SW
Tasmania, EWs are established but have no food except insects, so whole
areas are rendered almost insect-free (and thus nearly bird-free,
maybe).

Probably some lobbying for action would be a good idea, I've written to
our Chief Minister just now.

Julian

At 05:52 PM 19/02/2009, Peter Ormay wrote:

Hello All
European Wasps are the Cane Toads of the insect world.  They prey on insect larvae and have the potential to exterminate some insect species i e whose larvae are accessible to them like some butterfly and moth species.
 
They are attracted to meat, fish and sweets including soft drinks and are a nuisance at BBQs.  In parts of Melbourne where they are abundant people think twice about having a BBQ and are advised to use a straw to drink out of cans to avoid being stung in the mouth or throat.
 
In their native Europe their nests rarely get bigger than a grapefruit but in the ACT their nests can become more than a metre long. 
 
European Wasps are now widespread in the ACT and the Snowy Mountains.  Tracking them to their nest to destroy the nest is very difficult and time-consuming.  It would be much better if a bait were available that the wasps would carry back to the nest and destroy the colony.  If someone is aware of such a bait please let me know.  In the meantime I suggest that people encourage the authorities to have such a bait developed
 
Cheers
Peter