Wasp Tactical Group
The Wasp Tactical Group was formed in 2013 as a network of scientists and stakeholders in order to gain a common understanding of the impact of pest wasps and facilitate development of tools for their management
We provide advice for organisations, media and the public, and advocate priorities for science on German wasps and common wasps (Vespula species) in New Zealand.
We have 14 people in our Wasp Tactical Group, which is made up of some stakeholder organisations and scientists from: Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research, the University of Auckland, Victoria University, and Entecol Ltd. Stakeholders include DOC, MPI, Regional Councils, and the QEII Trust.
Our first job was to work out how much pain wasps cause socially, environmentally and economically. A recent study, sponsored by DOC & MPI, is publically available which outlines the economic costs to different sectors across New Zealand.
We have also published a science summary of the technical issues for control. See: Lester et al. 2013. The outlook for control of New Zealand’s most abundant, widespread and damaging invertebrate pests: social wasps. New Zealand Science Review 70(4): 56–62.
Multiple tools and approaches are required to achieve wasp control
Our suggested directions for the development of tools for Vespula wasp control in New Zealand. The tools are listed without prioritisation. (reproduced from Lester et al. 2013).
