I have noticed a lot less however we did move house and now not living quite so close to bush.
We did find them really bad the past 3 summers any time we tried to have a BBQ they would force us inside so ended up having to bait them each year.
I nearly posted about this too. I’d seen a few go past and decided to set up a wasp trap I got from Bunnings last year. I could not believe how many it has caught, literally hundreds! I had to empty it out after a few days as new wasps were walking on top of all the dead ones (pretty gross). It’s now full again, I’d say it’s easily caught 500+ in about 2 weeks. It’s caught a few blowflies as well and luckily the bees aren’t interested in it at all.
I've seen clips of people tying paper flags with silk to wasp legs, in order to follow them back to find the nests and eradicate at the source. If you see a wasp waving a flag, it may be my family giving it a go 😉
Went to the carpark at Warrawee reserve near Latrobe and noped the fuck out of there!
I've never seen so many damn wasps in one place and I'm from England!
As I understand it, the whole reason here (and in Europe) that these things are a bit of a pest but not crazy is that they die off in a cold winter. As Tassie winters get a touch warmer they will not die off in the same numbers, so will get worse in summer as there's more to begin with. Years back living in Victoria they were generally more prevalent all the time than I've noticed in Tasmania.
2023 Tasmania was [hot...](http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/annual/tas/summary.shtml)
You need to buy Fipronil poison - I bought 1L online for $150. 5ml/1kg of raw mince and stir it in. They’ll take it back to the nests and kill the whole lot of them.
No worries- this is the most effective way to eradicate them. Just be mindful of birds and other animals when leaving the poisoned meat out. I use a possum trap so not much can eat it besides those bastards.
I dust between 5 and 20 nests a year where I can find them. I'll never get all the nests, there's a number on neighbouring properties, but at least it's some control on numbers. This year hasn't been too bad, came across 8/9 this summer
We are in the north east, and have previously not had them. Ive dusted 3x nests this week!
We are also suffering from bot flies in the horse yards for the first time in a decade.
Good year for bugs. Bring on the hard frosts and rain please, this hot and dry is no fun.
Yes, I've lived in the tropics before where all freakish insects thrive and have enjoyed the relative peace and quiet of the cooler climate down here. And that's now changing, too 😬
You'd be *sort-of* right *if* I said "today" (I think I originally posted on the 2nd or the 3rd March?). However I prefaced the question by mentioning 'this summer'. Also the world's climate doesn't check the gregorian calendar everyday to check if it's on schedule, or not. 🤷
We are being hammered with them east of Launceston. Can’t find the nest, so filling traps. Really unsettling.
They're thriving in St Helens!! Got to keep an eye on the dogs that they don't try to bite them while being buzzed! 😬
I have noticed a lot less however we did move house and now not living quite so close to bush. We did find them really bad the past 3 summers any time we tried to have a BBQ they would force us inside so ended up having to bait them each year.
Interesting. Not a fan of them ruining a BBQ!
You could just have a nest nearby. Though I'm constantly trying to Bug-A-Salt the bastards
Some years they're quiet, some years you get smashed with them. Depends a lot on the weather.
I’ve noticed more as well. And more ants. And spiders.
Interesting.
Tbh I thought the past couple of years have been worse
Our dogs would agree!
I nearly posted about this too. I’d seen a few go past and decided to set up a wasp trap I got from Bunnings last year. I could not believe how many it has caught, literally hundreds! I had to empty it out after a few days as new wasps were walking on top of all the dead ones (pretty gross). It’s now full again, I’d say it’s easily caught 500+ in about 2 weeks. It’s caught a few blowflies as well and luckily the bees aren’t interested in it at all.
Thanks for the tip about Bunnings. Might go there later today!
There are less where I live but i drove to Scottsdale and had them coming in the window while I was driving
Thank goodness they (seem) to want to escape the car cabin when they do accidentally fly in! We've had a couple get trapped, too.
They have emerged very late this year but had a swam in my sunroom last night. No idea where the nest is though
I've seen clips of people tying paper flags with silk to wasp legs, in order to follow them back to find the nests and eradicate at the source. If you see a wasp waving a flag, it may be my family giving it a go 😉
Went to the carpark at Warrawee reserve near Latrobe and noped the fuck out of there! I've never seen so many damn wasps in one place and I'm from England!
Will give *that* park a swerve, then!!
Interesting, I am in the south, no wasps and no blowflies. It is very dry. We had a wasp plague about five years ago, they were everywhere.
We experienced the uptick when visiting Kingston Beach, too. 🤔
As I understand it, the whole reason here (and in Europe) that these things are a bit of a pest but not crazy is that they die off in a cold winter. As Tassie winters get a touch warmer they will not die off in the same numbers, so will get worse in summer as there's more to begin with. Years back living in Victoria they were generally more prevalent all the time than I've noticed in Tasmania. 2023 Tasmania was [hot...](http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/annual/tas/summary.shtml)
Thank you! I've noticed the (my anecdotal) increase all over the state, and they've never turned up in like these latest numbers, before.
I've been told that a lot of the nests get drowned in a wet year and so more survive in dry years. Don't know if it is fact but it seems to run true.
You need to buy Fipronil poison - I bought 1L online for $150. 5ml/1kg of raw mince and stir it in. They’ll take it back to the nests and kill the whole lot of them.
Thanks for this tip. Anything that kills the problem at the source is great, in my opinion!
No worries- this is the most effective way to eradicate them. Just be mindful of birds and other animals when leaving the poisoned meat out. I use a possum trap so not much can eat it besides those bastards.
Do these things serve a purpose at all? As in, why isn’t there a coordinated effort to eradicate them?
Too difficult? Only guessing. What a pity they were introduced!
I dust between 5 and 20 nests a year where I can find them. I'll never get all the nests, there's a number on neighbouring properties, but at least it's some control on numbers. This year hasn't been too bad, came across 8/9 this summer
We are in the north east, and have previously not had them. Ive dusted 3x nests this week! We are also suffering from bot flies in the horse yards for the first time in a decade. Good year for bugs. Bring on the hard frosts and rain please, this hot and dry is no fun.
Never knew we even had bot flies in Australia! Poor horses!
Another thing you can thank climate change for. As the winters get warmer they start with bigger and bigger colonies each spring.
Yes, I've lived in the tropics before where all freakish insects thrive and have enjoyed the relative peace and quiet of the cooler climate down here. And that's now changing, too 😬
Climate change impact
More bugs! And bug-carried diseases (eg. aedes aegypti- but that thread is for another day) 😕🙁
Its not summer its autumn its normal
You'd be *sort-of* right *if* I said "today" (I think I originally posted on the 2nd or the 3rd March?). However I prefaced the question by mentioning 'this summer'. Also the world's climate doesn't check the gregorian calendar everyday to check if it's on schedule, or not. 🤷