Insect Pests
The NSW Department of Primary Industries has information on Insect pests, diseases and disorders in horticultural crops and general insect pests.
Pests, Diseases & Disorders in Horticultural Crops
General Insect Pests
Identification
European wasps are about the size of a bee and bright yellow and black in colour, with black ‘V’ shaped markings on their abdomen.
European wasps are more aggressive than bees and will attack when their nests are disturbed. However, unlike bees, wasps can use their stings more than once.
Wasp stings cause intense local pain and swelling. However, people who or are allergic to wasp venom, or have been stung multiple times, may have a more severe reaction and require urgent medical attention.
Nest Removal
European wasps build large communal nests that can house over 100,000 wasps. The nests are built underground, in wall or ceiling cavities, or hollows in trees and are normally only visible as a small entrance hole.
If you believe that you have a European wasp nest on your property you will need to arrange for a licensed pest controller to destroy the wasps.
Further Information
Control of Common Mynas in Australia is clearly desirable provided it can be achieved in a safe, humane and cost-effective manner. Council supports the control of Common Mynas through encouraging residents to modify their local habitat to increase native bird populations, and through a selective trapping program.
Trapping Common Mynas
Selective trapping provides an effective, safe and humane way of controlling Common Mynas, and greatly reduces or eliminates the risk to non-target wildlife.
Specially designed 'Pee-Gee' traps can be purchased directly from Bowral Mens Shed at a cost of $50.00 per trap. The Shed is open Tuesday and Thursday 8.30am - 3pm.
Address: Bowral Uniting Church, 28 Bendooley Street Bowral
Telephone: 02 4862 5285
Mobile telephone: 0420 299 444
The Common (India) Myna is native to India and surrounding regions of Asia and were first released in Australia in 1862 to combat pests in Melbourne market gardens, and then released in other states. They are intelligent and highly adaptable birds which have become serious pests in urban areas of NSW, ACT, Victoria and Queensland and are starting to spread into rural areas.
Common Mynas can often be confused with native, Noisy Miners.