Is your property lakeside? Or does your property back onto a bush reserve?
If you have answered YES to either of these questions, then you should seriously consider purchasing a bait station, and becoming part of the “Rat Bait Brigade” here at Lake Okareka. Landcare Okareka is managing the rat bait for the village residents and property owners. This is run to support the Forest & Bird volunteer managed pest control programme in the Lake Tikitapu Scenic Reserve. Now is the time to target animal pests like rats and possums, before the birds begin nesting.
This year however, there will be no rat bait laid in the Tikitapu Reserve, and it will be interesting to see what happens with the rat population in the village. Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Department of Conservation have suggested that Forest & Bird give the bush a spell from bait this year.
Ditrac rat bait provided by Bay of Plenty Regional Council is however, once again available to individual property owners, to support enhancing the biodiversity at Lake Okareka. We are especially interested in getting more lake side properties involved with rat bait stations. We believe that the results Lake Tarawera are getting with the increase in numbers of dab chicks could be due in part to their successful rat bait programme. They have many lakeside properties there involved. If you are interested, but maybe feel that you do not come to your property often enough to keep the bait station full, please contact us. We may be able to work out a partnering system with someone who lives here permanently, and is prepared to keep your bait station filled.
Ditrac is a poison, but it does not cause secondary poisoning on cats, dogs or birds such as moreporks if they eat poisoned rats or mice.
How to Use Ditrac Bait:
It is recommended that bait be fed in a type of bait station, fitted with a locating rod, that does not allow the rats to carry baits away to be stored. The baits have holes in them and they thread onto the rod. Rats and mice eat the bait in the bait station. The bait station protects the bait from the weather. It means also that bait cannot be eaten by non-target species such as birds, dogs, cats and children.
Bait stations are available by contacting Mike and Sandra Goodwin 362 8865 or email sgoodwin@actrix.co.nz – made by Bob Scopes from Tarawera and cost is $30. Marcel van Leeuwen, a Lake Okareka local resident is also making bait stations, cost is $20, contact Marcel on 362 8468 or email marvl@xtra.co.nz to order them.
Do you have a bait station already? That's great if you do. When you collect your bait you will need to confirm your name and address and the address of the bait station. We need to update our data base about bait stations and where they are located throughout Okareka – and many thanks to everyone who has done this so far.
How do I get bait now? Bait is available in labelled, zip lock bags, containing 12 rat baits. This is enough bait to fill one bait station 2 times during a month. Bait stations should usually not be filled more than twice during a month, otherwise you are wasting bait and feeding potentially dead rats and mice.
If you require the bait or a Bob Scope bait station for $30, please contact:
Mike and Sandra Goodwin phone 362 8865, 2 Pryce Road or Rod Stace phone 362 8523, 30 Summit Road.
Please phone first to arrange a time to collect bait or a bait station.
If you have answered YES to either of these questions, then you should seriously consider purchasing a bait station, and becoming part of the “Rat Bait Brigade” here at Lake Okareka. Landcare Okareka is managing the rat bait for the village residents and property owners. This is run to support the Forest & Bird volunteer managed pest control programme in the Lake Tikitapu Scenic Reserve. Now is the time to target animal pests like rats and possums, before the birds begin nesting.
This year however, there will be no rat bait laid in the Tikitapu Reserve, and it will be interesting to see what happens with the rat population in the village. Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Department of Conservation have suggested that Forest & Bird give the bush a spell from bait this year.
Ditrac rat bait provided by Bay of Plenty Regional Council is however, once again available to individual property owners, to support enhancing the biodiversity at Lake Okareka. We are especially interested in getting more lake side properties involved with rat bait stations. We believe that the results Lake Tarawera are getting with the increase in numbers of dab chicks could be due in part to their successful rat bait programme. They have many lakeside properties there involved. If you are interested, but maybe feel that you do not come to your property often enough to keep the bait station full, please contact us. We may be able to work out a partnering system with someone who lives here permanently, and is prepared to keep your bait station filled.
Ditrac is a poison, but it does not cause secondary poisoning on cats, dogs or birds such as moreporks if they eat poisoned rats or mice.
How to Use Ditrac Bait:
It is recommended that bait be fed in a type of bait station, fitted with a locating rod, that does not allow the rats to carry baits away to be stored. The baits have holes in them and they thread onto the rod. Rats and mice eat the bait in the bait station. The bait station protects the bait from the weather. It means also that bait cannot be eaten by non-target species such as birds, dogs, cats and children.
Bait stations are available by contacting Mike and Sandra Goodwin 362 8865 or email sgoodwin@actrix.co.nz – made by Bob Scopes from Tarawera and cost is $30. Marcel van Leeuwen, a Lake Okareka local resident is also making bait stations, cost is $20, contact Marcel on 362 8468 or email marvl@xtra.co.nz to order them.
Do you have a bait station already? That's great if you do. When you collect your bait you will need to confirm your name and address and the address of the bait station. We need to update our data base about bait stations and where they are located throughout Okareka – and many thanks to everyone who has done this so far.
How do I get bait now? Bait is available in labelled, zip lock bags, containing 12 rat baits. This is enough bait to fill one bait station 2 times during a month. Bait stations should usually not be filled more than twice during a month, otherwise you are wasting bait and feeding potentially dead rats and mice.
If you require the bait or a Bob Scope bait station for $30, please contact:
Mike and Sandra Goodwin phone 362 8865, 2 Pryce Road or Rod Stace phone 362 8523, 30 Summit Road.
Please phone first to arrange a time to collect bait or a bait station.
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