The worst context for collateral damage (Fleur’s concern) would be when the nominal target (the wasp) is unaffected so the control operation is repeated, further harming non-target values.
There is a good question about effectiveness of control programs on the national park scale. That is because the smaller the animal the less likely control will make any difference (because small
things have high maximum population growth rates, so recover rapidly).
Has there been any demonstration that landscape scale wasp control of any type makes a difference to the number of wasps in an area the next year?
In 2006 I helped walk long transects spaced 50m apart from side to side of the Upper Cotter valley. We saw heaps of active European Wasp nest holes, many far from a road. To make a measurable reduction
in wasp abundance in that situation would be very challenging. I don’t support the application of any agent, no matter how benign, if it hasn’t been proved to reduce the target.
Don Fletcher
From: Fleur r Leary <>
Sent: Monday, 12 March 2018 2:59 PM
To: David Rees <>
Cc: Denise Kay <>; Robin Hide <>; Sue Beatty <>; Canberra Birds <>
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] European Wasps
This wasp bait may not attract bees but will it attract and destroy native wasps - that would be a concern …..
On 9 Mar 2018, at 5:22 PM, David Rees <> wrote:
NZ is a bit in front of us on this one see.
On Fri, Mar 9, 2018 at 4:39 PM, Denise Kay <> wrote:
Thanks Robin
I have a nest some where too, I am still looking .
I found them feeding on a dead White Faced Heron down near the creek ( competing with the Ravens and have had them in decaying fruit in the G H Flying fox aviary .
On 9 Mar 2018, at 3:55 pm, Robin Hide <> wrote:
We had a nest (first one) destroyed/poisoned in the eaves of our house in Ainslie a week ago.
(Cost c 3 times the rate in UK!)
I can’t be the only COG member who has found a few European Wasp nests while wandering in the bush. In the last few weeks I’ve found their nests in the ground at Tidbinbilla (where the Rangers told me they would bait in the area), below
Scrivener Dam and across the road from the Yankee Hat carpark. The Rangers at Namadgi assured me the authorities still want to hear about every nest we find so they can destroy it. I’m pretty familiar with these wasps as we had a nest removed from the walls
of our house! They’re very distinctive looking.
Anyway, there’s an app (but of course there is!) that you can use when you find a nest which gives the exact location to make it easier for the ACT authorities to find and destroy the nest.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Namadgi rangers I spoke to said they were very concerned about these pests and say they pose a serious threat to Australian wildlife – including birds! When I told them I was a COG member they asked me to pass this info on to you. So
here it is. I’m sure many of you are already much more knowledgeable on the subject than I am!
