west’s pests
A Piha success story
A Pest free Piha (PfP) wasp control programme has reduced the level of common and German wasps by over 70% this autumn. Wasps are predators of insects and even small birds, and attack beehives. Some people are allergic to their stings, not to mention that they can spoil a good BBQ. If the site of a wasp nest is known, it can be easily dealt to with a proprietary powder obtainable from most hardware stores. But Merchento, a Nelson-based company, has developed Vespex bait in cooperation with the Department of Conservation. Wasps take the bait back to their nests, wherever these are. Usually the nest is wiped out overnight. Sadly, Vespex doesn’t kill paper wasps. Vespex is completely safe for bees – it is protein-based and used only when testing shows that the wasps have switched to a protein diet in late summer. Bees have no interest in collecting protein. Vespex was created to deal with wasps in South Island beech forests where they consume massive amounts of the honeydew that is the food of native birds, bats, insects and lizards. But it works just as effectively in the Waitākere Ranges, as PfP found in a pilot carried out in Te Ahuahu Rd in 2020. A similar exercise in Rayner Rd that year could not go ahead due to the Covid lockdown, but, success in the Te Ahuahu pilot encouraged a Pihawide control programme and funding was raised from The Trusts Community Foundation and the Lotteries Environment Fund. “This was a massive exercise for our community,” says PfP’s operations manager Peter Hosking. “But like all big jobs it was achieved by division into smaller tasks.” Volunteer coordinators were found for all but two of Piha’s roads (two coordinators for the longer ones). This was in line with the PfP road-by-road model (which encourages people to work with their neighbours in weeding bees and predator control, helped by a local coordinator). “What people have made together (a pest-free environment) they will be motivated to maintain,” says Peter.
Coordinators had to find enough properties to ensure full coverage of their road (about every third property) and erect bait stations in advance. PfP’s mailing list provided a good start, but coordinators had to knock on doors and do letterbox drops. A total of 366 bait stations were installed on properties across Piha roads. It was planned to do all the baiting over one weekend at the end of February and a start was made on the Saturday. But once again Covid intervened with a week-long lockdown from Sunday. Those who had planned to bait on Sunday had to wait a week, and then a day or two longer until suitable (sunny) weather returned. Then the bait had to be removed again after a week or so (it quickly loses effectiveness). “The coordinators did a fabulous job,” said Peter. “They had to cope with multiple complications but pulled it off in the end. Where ‘after’ tests were done, a knockdown rate of 72% was achieved despite the various challenges.” There was lots of anecdotal feedback that people had noticed a big drop in wasp numbers, though this was not universal and one road and some properties had to be re-baited. Peter is keen to repeat the exercise again, this time in coordination with the Auckland Council, as no bait stations were erected on the extensive parkland in and around Piha. This left gaps where there was no coverage from bait stations. Council has already indicated its willingness as it has been fielding health and safety complaints from its contractors who are encountering large numbers of wasps when doing weed and predator control. This may be a result of climate change. Warmer winters that mean more and more nests are overwintering, resulting in much larger nests the following season.
Peter Hosking: “What people have made together they will be motivated to maintain.” Photo by Wayne Laird.
A closed Vespex bait station. Photo by Peter Hosking.
A common wasp. Photo by Sid Mosdell.
The July issue of The Fringe will reach tens of thousands of local readers, families and businesses and offers unparalleled value for those who take business promotion seriously. We are planning a special Education feature in this issue and editorial space and discount rates will be available to participating advertisers (conditions apply). Have you ever thought you could be a good writer? The Fringe is always interested in hearing from those who have articles to share ... Feel free to get in touch. The booking deadline for advertising and editorial submissions in our July issue is June 18 with artwork due by June 22. Please get in touch as soon as possible. Contact us at info@fringemedia.co.nz.
please support our advertisers – they support us
The Fringe JUNE 2021
19
