Ask RiotACT: wasps on neighbours' property

vos said :

. We have kids after all and you can’t make kids not chase or swat at a swarm of them and not expect they get stung.

But hopefully they will learn their lesson the first time and then leave the wasps alone after that.

If you can hit the nests from your side of the fence 4 or 5 meters by a can of degreaser $2 supercheap auto and spray the nests . The degreaser will hit their wings then they cant fly. bye bye wasps.

Oh wow those nests sound huge, which seems unusual.
I would contact TAMS so someone ‘authorised’ can check out whether there is a safety problem. If you can take a picture of the nests, you can send it to ‘fix my street.’
I’m a gardener and I’ve been stung by a paper wasp while pruning a hedge. It was not pleasant.

Thanks for the perspectives guys. I know many have said they are a “gardeners friend” and they should stay but I’m not so convinced when there are at least a dozen huge nests (and I mean huge, the size of basket balls) all over their property. Even the other neighbours have mentioned to me they think it’s way too excessive, a few small nests here and there is natural as you can’t stop them from setting up a home, but this is a bit beyond a joke. I’ll keep hounding council as I think it’s unsafe and poses a risk to public safety. We have kids after all and you can’t make kids not chase or swat at a swarm of them and not expect they get stung.

Certainly not a good idea to trespass, don’t do it. Seek advise from City Rangers or TAMS. In an extreme case you could take the legal path but first investigate what legislation applies. As others have said, paper wasps are relatively harmless, they are native fauna.

There is nothing wrong with paper wasps. Leave them alone.

Zan said :

Paper wasps are not aggressive unless you disturb them. They are beneficial wasps. Read all about them here. http://australianmuseum.net.au/paper-wasps

I used to knock down their nests, but now think they are an ally against our common enemy, the European Wasp. I recall seeing a European Wasp biting the head off a bee. Nasty.

I don’t think trespassing on your neighbours property is the solution. Have you spoken to a pest controller about your concerns? They might have some ideas.

Unless wasps are in a bad place, such as on the water tank ladder which you might want to climb (using an example from my garden), I would usually leave them alone. They are beneficial and if you don’t disturb them, they won’t hurt you. I have had wasps nests above where I walk (entrance way) and have never been worried by them.

Why would you need to go to Emergency for a paper wasp sting? Unless you or the family are allergic and at risk of a severe reaction, your best course is just to let the wasps be.