5 November 2014

High number of wasp reports

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EuropeanWasp1

Reports to the European Wasp Hotline of wasps seeking sites and establishing nests in suburban Canberra are the highest in many years, the ACT Government has announced.

“After months in hibernation the queen wasps are now visiting homes and gardens and often getting into people’s houses in their search for food,” said Julie Garbode, Manager, Planning and Programs, Territory and Municipal Services.

“The large queens, in their imposing yellow and black livery, are up to 25mm in length with a formidable sting.

“Ultimately each queen wasp represents a potential nest. If left uncontrolled, this nest can ultimately get as big as a basketball with up to 5,000 worker wasps, all set to plague suburban barbeques and picnics during the summer and autumn months if they are not controlled.

“Last year in Canberra, nearly 60 per cent of all reported European wasp nests were built inside house structures such as cavity walls and roof spaces, with the remainder built underground.

“If a nest is disturbed the wasps will vigorously defend their home by stinging repeatedly in large numbers. The wasps produce a potent alarm pheromone that acts as a recruitment signal for the wasps within the nest. Residents of Canberra with a European wasp nest on their property, especially if built in the house structure, are strongly advised to engage a qualified pest controller to treat the nest.

“If stung, the recommended first aid is an ice pack applied to the site of the sting to reduce pain and swelling. If people experience any difficulties breathing after being stung, this indicates a severe allergic reaction and emergency attention must be sought.”

Contact the European Wasp Hotline on 6162 1914 for free advice on identification and control measures or visit the TAMS website at www.tams.act.gov.au

(Territory and Municipal Services Directorate Media Release)

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Bees are attracted by certain colors like white and yellow. Like most of the animals they cannot see red color. RED ALERT, wear red :p

OpenYourMind12:19 am 08 Nov 14

Nuke em from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.

gazket said :

A aerosol can and a lighter fixes any wasp nest.

Though they were not European wasps, I took an aerosol and lighter to a nest of vagrants in Ballina, the bugger launched at me like Ghost Rider: all on fire and angry. I quickly retreated back to the house followed by the undead.

A aerosol can and a lighter fixes any wasp nest.

HiddenDragon said :

dungfungus said :

Evilomlap said :

Kalliste said :

Evilomlap said :

Man I tried Raid on one and it just seemed to p@ss it off. I’ve switched to Mortein Fast Knockdown so hopefully next time I can avoid the need to run away screaming like a little girl

I had one inside the other week and it was stuck humming under the blinds.. it didn’t react so well to being sprayed and it took FOREVER to die..

I think I sprayed half a can on the window because I wasn’t willing to get any closer to it.

Were you using Fast Knockdown? Whatever you do don’t use a tennis racket. All you end up with is broken lamps and an angry girlfriend.

Get dedicated wasp spray in a pressurised can. It fires a single jet about 3 metres. Tradesmen doing renovations use this stuff.

The long-distance spray at least seems to have the benefit of deterring individual wasps which are lurking about looking for food and/or a nesting site, but I think it would be “courageous” to take on a nest with only a can, or two of that stuff – that’s surely a job for the experts.

The situation being discussed was “one wasp humming under the blinds….” but I have killed hundreds that were kind of swarming on the shady side of my house on a very hot day with half a can of the stuff. They instantly die.
Bunnings still sell it I think. I am sure if the entrance to a nest was saturated with this stuff it would prove lethal to any wasp that came in contact with it.
I read somewhere that it is also handy for repelling home invaders of the two legged variety.

Underground nests can be quickly sorted with a half litre of kerosene administered through a metre of 20 mm conduit. Holes leading into wall cavities are asking for trouble and should be blocked up.

HiddenDragon6:28 pm 05 Nov 14

dungfungus said :

Evilomlap said :

Kalliste said :

Evilomlap said :

Man I tried Raid on one and it just seemed to p@ss it off. I’ve switched to Mortein Fast Knockdown so hopefully next time I can avoid the need to run away screaming like a little girl

I had one inside the other week and it was stuck humming under the blinds.. it didn’t react so well to being sprayed and it took FOREVER to die..

I think I sprayed half a can on the window because I wasn’t willing to get any closer to it.

Were you using Fast Knockdown? Whatever you do don’t use a tennis racket. All you end up with is broken lamps and an angry girlfriend.

Get dedicated wasp spray in a pressurised can. It fires a single jet about 3 metres. Tradesmen doing renovations use this stuff.

The long-distance spray at least seems to have the benefit of deterring individual wasps which are lurking about looking for food and/or a nesting site, but I think it would be “courageous” to take on a nest with only a can, or two of that stuff – that’s surely a job for the experts.

Evilomlap said :

Kalliste said :

Evilomlap said :

Man I tried Raid on one and it just seemed to p@ss it off. I’ve switched to Mortein Fast Knockdown so hopefully next time I can avoid the need to run away screaming like a little girl

I had one inside the other week and it was stuck humming under the blinds.. it didn’t react so well to being sprayed and it took FOREVER to die..

I think I sprayed half a can on the window because I wasn’t willing to get any closer to it.

Were you using Fast Knockdown? Whatever you do don’t use a tennis racket. All you end up with is broken lamps and an angry girlfriend.

Get dedicated wasp spray in a pressurised can. It fires a single jet about 3 metres. Tradesmen doing renovations use this stuff.

Kalliste said :

Evilomlap said :

Man I tried Raid on one and it just seemed to p@ss it off. I’ve switched to Mortein Fast Knockdown so hopefully next time I can avoid the need to run away screaming like a little girl

I had one inside the other week and it was stuck humming under the blinds.. it didn’t react so well to being sprayed and it took FOREVER to die..

I think I sprayed half a can on the window because I wasn’t willing to get any closer to it.

Were you using Fast Knockdown? Whatever you do don’t use a tennis racket. All you end up with is broken lamps and an angry girlfriend.

Evilomlap said :

Man I tried Raid on one and it just seemed to p@ss it off. I’ve switched to Mortein Fast Knockdown so hopefully next time I can avoid the need to run away screaming like a little girl

I had one inside the other week and it was stuck humming under the blinds.. it didn’t react so well to being sprayed and it took FOREVER to die..

I think I sprayed half a can on the window because I wasn’t willing to get any closer to it.

Man I tried Raid on one and it just seemed to p@ss it off. I’ve switched to Mortein Fast Knockdown so hopefully next time I can avoid the need to run away screaming like a little girl

This is the Australian Cringe at its worst.
No content to have European traffic lights, number plates and soon Euro trams, we now have European Wasps!

I had one of those in the house yesterday. I thought it was a bee. Luckily it was at the kitchen window and a quick blast of Raid took care of it.

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