Wasp Patrol

Whether State or Local government acknowledges it or not, European wasps are a problem in many communities in NSW. If Councils do not have a policy on them and a plan for their control then citizens have to cover for their failure. Every nest unfound releases 100s of queen wasps in late autumn to hibernate and create more nests the following year.

The human and economic impact of these insects is considerable .

The Problems:

Citizen Experience: When citizens are hospitalised, when children cannot play in their backyard, when school children cannot eat their lunch outside, when young people are stung at the skatepark, when people’s right to enjoy their property, mow the lawn, have a BBQ are infringed, when pets have to compete for their food, when houses are being damaged ... there is a problem.

Visitor experience: When campers picnickers, sports people, café patrons are pestered they take an uncomfortable experience home and a region’s tourism reputation suffers.

Environmental impact: When wasps compete with and predate on native insects potentially reducing insect numbers it impacts ecosystem function. Many nests are in banks of creeks increasing bank erosion potential

Agricultural impact: European wasps kill and eat bees and honey with potential impact of reduced pollination. They damage crops like grapes, stonefruit and apples and are a threat to workers.

Map of  European wasp nests found:

2018 season:  Blue markers =  kills

2019 season:  Yellow markers = kills

C - nest = Council worker find

K - nest = Ken find / kill

M - nest = Merridy find / kill

2020 Season Dark green markers = nests killed

2021 Season Green markers = nests killed 

K - nest = Ken find 

M - nest = Merridy find

2022 Season Maroon markers

2023 Season Purple markers  

K - nest = Ken find 

M - nest = Merridy find

Click on top right corner to view larger map.