The wasp menace ravages the watering holes of the inner north

Gungahlin Al said :

Yep All Bar Nun 2 weeks ago – clearly European Wasp.
Must like beer.

Geez, they’re having a rough trot aren’t they. Finally rid themselves of the Carney virus and now this!

A single nest can have a territory of about 75 hectares. (ie: the size of the entire suburb).
So it a) might be a bit beyond the budget of most cafes, and b) is TAMS’ job.

I’d venture to assert that unless the venues start taking action they will notice a drop in patronage.

I’ve already based a decision on which venue to go to with the wasp problem in mind.

Wasp traps are cheap and simple to use. Using them would help.

Even better, how about the venues banding together and paying for an extermination program in nearby areas?

I had lunch at All bar nun on Sunday and there was one wasp that was intent on taking my chicken burger away. Had to have a decoy piece of chicken sitting a metre away to be able to eat in peace.
Also spotted at the Fyshwick markets eating lunch on Saturday. Really wanted to take a bit out of a beef burger we had on the table – no amount of hand-shooing would put this one off its mission, in fact, no amount of hand shooing ever seems to bother these things.
Also in plague proportions outside the Front cafe in Lyneham. It’s not possible to sit outside in the afternoons without being harrassed by them. I’d say 10-15 at any one time buzzing about the tables and chairs.
They really make me nervous – to the point where I find myself having to stand up and move away from the area until they are gone. I can’t say I recall seeing this many around in times gone by. It seems to have been the last 3 or so years they have really become a nuisance…

Sammy wrote:

Sammy said :

I was brewing 60 litres of beer yesterday, and I had a couple buzzing around the brewhouse trying to get into the boiler. Very annoying. Wasn’t really interested in making wasp beer.

What? You haven’t heard of a bee brew? 😉 Picture of a Yellowjacket Sake
Those damn Japanese can turn virtually anything into a culinary delight (or maybe I’ve been watching too many Iron Chef episodes)
I think there was also a Yellowjacket larva dish.?Ah, here it is.

Our kiddies party was inundated with Eurotrash, going nuts for all the sweet cakes and juice. I certainly thought there was a notable increase in their presence this weekend.

I noticed a Euro in Turner last week.

I was on the other side of the window fortunately.

Odd, the rosellas have been taking bites out of the apples then throwing the rest under the tree, that should be attracting them but I’ve only seen one wasp this season. I see lots of bees, they drink at the stock tank and gather pollen from the pumpkins and cukes. Maybe if you have lots of bees they keep wasps away?

They have been bad, and aggressive in numbers. A cut apple seems to attract them quite fast and they are really determined to get it.

pelican said :

At home it is really bad.

They are whizzing about often three or four at a time. So far they have left me alone while pottering in the vegie patch but I am not going out of my way to antagonise them. Haven’t been able to locate a possible nest in our own yard so probably somewhere nearby.

Pity we can’t put a super-miniature tracking device on one of them and follow it back to their nest.

Yeah…I know not possible in the real world just wishful thinking. 🙂

If you put a tiny bit of meat out near where they are hovering and they discover it, they will pick it up and fly in a straight line back to their nest. You can then call in a tactical air strike and nuke em !