 The School Wasp Trial
Waikato Waldorf School and Horsham Downs school used the Landcare Spurr wasp traps with sardine based cat food to monitor wasp numbers in Spring 2006 and again in Summer and Autumn 2007. Other monitoring trap designs which are safe to use and make (top priority with any traps used), simple to make and low cost were also trialed. The wasp monitoring was intended be used to decide the optimal time to use the new Landcare Fipronil protein based wasp bait in Autumn 2007. Schools would remove the monitoring traps during chemical baiting (Fipronil baits are only out for three days) and then put the monitoring traps back out to access the effectiveness of the Fipronil bait.
Wasp traps were made in November 2006 and then 15 put out (12 with sardine or sugar based baits and 3 control traps with water) put out at a time to monitor spring wasp activity. The spring trapping period through into mid December 2006 is principally for pupils to learn about wasp biology and monitoring with a suitable sardine protein or a 30% sugar solution bait. There was also an opportunity to learn the technology of making and using the wasp monitoring traps.
Publicity about the community wasp project at Waikato Waldorf School and Horsham Downs School was given by Hamilton Press (for more, click here)
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