Sundew VESPEX – An Australian Game Changer for Treating Invasive European Wasps

04/05/2022 Published in AEPMA Gazette
An Australian Game Changer for Treating Invasive European Wasps – VESPEX

“Since the launch of Vespex European wasp treatment solutions in March 2020, many communities across Australia have breathed a sigh of relief.  This has drawn attention to the work being done by Vespex Accredited Specialists,” said Rowan Gregson, Technical Solutions Advisor at Sundew Solutions.

“Recently our Sundew Vespex Accredited Specialist Mike Squires, received an official commendation in this year’s Froggatt Awards from the Invasive Species Council of Australia for his on-going work in eradicating European wasps in the NSW Southern Tablelands,” explained Rowan.

The Froggatt Awards is run by the Invasive Species Council of Australia and is named in honour of Australian entomologist Walter Froggatt who was a lone voice lobbying the federal government to exercise caution when the cane toad was released into Australia in the 1930’s to control beetle infestations in the sugar cane industry.

Invasive species are now one of the key threats to Australia’s natural environment, but their continued arrival and spread is all too often neglected as a conservation issue.

The Froggatt awards are given to those who have made a major contribution to protecting Australia’s native plants and animals, ecosystems and people from dangerous new invasive species.

“Around Australia, Councils and Government departments are starting to request the use of Vespex by pest controllers as they realise the potential for long term eradication when following a proper programme. The Sundew Vespex European Wasp Accreditation ensures that users are educated and know the ins and outs of the product from day one,” explained Rowan.

In the ACT some inroads to population reduction were made in Spring 2021 where 180 Dominator traps were deployed and around 600 Queen European Wasps were trapped in the following 14 days. Every queen captured equals one less European wasp nest the following season. A much larger programme is mooted for next season.

Queen trapping is now becoming a very common endeavour both in Spring, as new Queens finish their hibernation to build new nests, and in Autumn when young Queens are emerging from nests to mate and then hibernate.

“When combined with direct destruction and remote elimination this three pronged approach has the potential to start the eradication of the scourge that European Wasps are, from this country,” said Rowan.

Where pest controllers are benefitting most from this new market segment, is by setting up trapping and baiting programmes in places where in previous years the only way to treat European Wasps was to directly treat the nest with StarrdustPRO.

Now whether the nest can be found or not, the colony can be remotely eliminated using Vespex with the addition of Sundew Ensnare PRO 50 g/L indoxacarb SC, and Vespex Dominator traps can be set up with Vespex to capture queens at both ends of the season.

“Some forward-thinking pest controllers are taking the risk out of European Wasp treatments by remotely baiting all colonies even when they can be found, as this reduces the risk of accidental injury from stinging, the potential for falls when accessing nests at height or confined space risks,” continued Rowan.

The Vespex European Wasp Accreditation enrolment can be found on the Sundew website (sundewsolutions.com.au).  Enrolment and accreditation takes under two hours to complete and is done online.

The Sundew Vespex range of European wasp solutions can be purchased from Agserv, David Grays, Garrards and Globe.

To explore how you could use Vespex in your Pest Control Business feel free to call Rowan on 0422 403 556.

Visit the link here to register to become a VESPEX Accredited Specialist Today>