By KATH GANNAWAY
AS Yarra Ranges residents dodge and swipe their way through what is reportedly the worst European wasp season in 20 years, a Mount Evelyn resident is fighting back with a trap that is irresistible to the pests.
Allan Grundy came up with the idea of trapping the feral, stinging insects after he noticed that food he puts out for native wildlife in his large garden was also bringing large numbers of wasps.
The sticky glue boards are available commercially, but Mr Grundy said the trick was to put some cat or dog food in the centre to specifically target the wasps.
“The things about this solution is that it’s very cost effective, as effective in keeping wasps controlled in particular parts of the garden,” he said.
“The council will refer people to a pest controller, but a lot of people can’t afford that and therefore they ignore the problem,” he said.
Yarra Ranges Council is indeed encouraging people to eradicate the nests as a broader solution to the problem.
Director, Environment and Engineeering, Mark Varmalis, said the council had received 324 requests to remove nests over February and March, and that 312 nests had been destroyed as a result.
“Mild winter and summer weather conditions have caused an increase in wasps. This is a state-wide issue with many areas impacted,” he said.
While council has responsibility for nests on council-owned land, Mr Vermalis said nests on private property were the responsibility of the land owner.
He recommended that anyone who finds a nest contacts a pest control expert to assist with destroying it.
“If you are aware of a European wasp nest on your neighbour’s property, we encourage you to talk to your neighbour about taking action to destroy the nest,” he said.
“If you are unable to resolve the issues with your neighbour, you can report it to our health department, who will inspect the site and advise the land owner to destroy the nest.”
Museum Victoria records show that the European wasp first came to mainland Victoria in the late 1970s.
The bad news is that is has spread to most other states and, they say, it is here to stay.
“Eradication is no longer an option,” they say on their website.
The good news!
“Despite early reports labelling it as a “Killer Wasp”, no human deaths have been recorded in Australia.
In the meantime, Mr Grundy is taking a targeted approach, and has built a wire cage to fit over the boards to ensure birds and other wildlife aren’t caught in a sticky, and potentially, deadly trap.
“The beauty of this is that it is cheap and accessible,” Mr Grundy said.
