The 2022-23 European wasp season began at the start of November 2022 and concluded in mid-June 2023. The season was a resounding success with a total of 21 nests being detected and destroyed by the European wasp surveillance team. This number is significantly less than the previous season’s 53 nests and is a positive sign that the ongoing intensive surveillance is keeping this devastating pest from establishing in WA.
This brings the total number of nests destroyed in WA since 1977, to 1567 which can be viewed at Nest Locations Since 1977 [1].
All nests detected and destroyed this season were in the Perth metropolitan area. 86% of nests were subterranean, with the remaining 14% of nests being detected in tree hollows. Nests were detected and destroyed in six Local Government Areas, incorporating 11 suburbs.
The trapping and surveillance area spanned approximately 95,000 ha (950km²) within the Perth metropolitan area, spanning from Gnangara in the north down to Wandi in the south and as far out as Mundaring in the east. Over 2500 surveillance traps were deployed in this area.
A co-ordinated regional surveillance was also undertaken this season. The main port and freight entry towns of Albany, Geraldton, Bunbury and Eucla were trapped and monitored with 50 traps from January 2023 to June 2023. Thankfully no wasps or nests were detected regionally.
There were 350 public wasp reports received by the department’s Pest and Disease Information Service [2], with four of these being confirmed as European wasp detections.
187 new subscribers to the department’s Adopt-a-Trap [3] initiative were received, bringing the total number of adoptees to 1095. The Adopt-a-Trap program significantly enhances the department’s ability to effectively eliminate this pest each season.
| LGA/Suburb | Number of nests |
|---|---|
City of Canning: | 7 |
| Welshpool | 4 |
| Lynwood | 1 |
| Canning Vale | 1 |
| Bentley | 1 |
City of Gosnells: | 6 |
| Maddington | 3 |
| Kenwick | 3 |
City of Belmont: | 4 |
| Kewdale | 3 |
| Perth Airport | 1 |
City of Cockburn: | 2 |
| Bibra Lake | 2 |
City of Swan: | 1 |
| Midland | 1 |
City of Kalamunda: | 1 |
| Forrestfield | 1 |
TOTAL | 21 |
[4]An interactive map of all nest/trap locations can be accessed on the DPIRD website [5].
[6]An interactive map of all trap/nest locations can be accessed on the DPIRD website [7].