Dear Lake Okarera Community Association (LOCA) and Landcare Okareka Group
Attn: Sandra Goodwin
Wasp Control on Public Conservation Land in the Rotorua Lakes Area
Across New Zealand, DOC will be undertaking wasp control using bait stations which has proven very effective in recent trials. The Department of Conservation Rotorua District Office is planning to carry out wasp control on serval areas of public conservation land around the Rotorua lakes in January – February 2017 (see the attached factsheet for a map of the exact locations).
A bait station control operation will be undertaken using Fipronil, also known as Vespex or Xtinguish. The active the active ingredient in the bait is extremely toxic to wasps however it poses a very low risk to mammals, birds and humans. The bait is made up of sardine cat food, which does not attract bees. Bait stations are yellow and set at 1.5m above ground to exclude non-target animals like weka.
This method has been trialled under strict research conditions in Nelson Lakes and proven to reduce wasp populations and cause little adverse effect to other species. Bait stations only need to be filled once in summer and all remaining bait is removed after three to eight days.
Near the end of summer, late January/February, wasps are known to switch their diet to include protein. The wasp control operation will involve lacing protein based bait with the insecticide Fipronil, also known as Vespex or Xtinguish. Worker wasps will collect the bait from strategically placed bait stations and take it back to the nest where it poisons the entire colony within a short period. Any remaining bait is removed from the bait station within eight days, please see the attached factsheet for more information.
We will be using volunteers to assist us with this work. If you are interested, please get in touch with one of the DOC rangers listed below.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of what is proposed, then please contact one of these DOC rangers, Colette Wi on +64 27 7681775 or Bex Newland on +64 7 349 8227, at the Rotorua office.
Nga mihi
Colette Wi
Supervisor, Recreation/Historic
Kaitauawhi, Āo Hākinakina / Āo Tuku Iho
Attn: Sandra Goodwin
Wasp Control on Public Conservation Land in the Rotorua Lakes Area
Across New Zealand, DOC will be undertaking wasp control using bait stations which has proven very effective in recent trials. The Department of Conservation Rotorua District Office is planning to carry out wasp control on serval areas of public conservation land around the Rotorua lakes in January – February 2017 (see the attached factsheet for a map of the exact locations).
A bait station control operation will be undertaken using Fipronil, also known as Vespex or Xtinguish. The active the active ingredient in the bait is extremely toxic to wasps however it poses a very low risk to mammals, birds and humans. The bait is made up of sardine cat food, which does not attract bees. Bait stations are yellow and set at 1.5m above ground to exclude non-target animals like weka.
This method has been trialled under strict research conditions in Nelson Lakes and proven to reduce wasp populations and cause little adverse effect to other species. Bait stations only need to be filled once in summer and all remaining bait is removed after three to eight days.
Near the end of summer, late January/February, wasps are known to switch their diet to include protein. The wasp control operation will involve lacing protein based bait with the insecticide Fipronil, also known as Vespex or Xtinguish. Worker wasps will collect the bait from strategically placed bait stations and take it back to the nest where it poisons the entire colony within a short period. Any remaining bait is removed from the bait station within eight days, please see the attached factsheet for more information.
We will be using volunteers to assist us with this work. If you are interested, please get in touch with one of the DOC rangers listed below.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of what is proposed, then please contact one of these DOC rangers, Colette Wi on +64 27 7681775 or Bex Newland on +64 7 349 8227, at the Rotorua office.
Nga mihi
Colette Wi
Supervisor, Recreation/Historic
Kaitauawhi, Āo Hākinakina / Āo Tuku Iho
| RLA Wasp Fact Sheet 2016 |
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