By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
COUNCILLOR Amanda Stapledon has called on the City of Casey to join in the war against wasps, after La Trobe MP Jason Wood sought more than $1 million in Federal funding towards a biological solution to limit the pests last month.
Cr Stapledon on Tuesday night moved for Casey Council to prepare a report on the prevalence of European wasps in Casey, including the number of reported incidents in recent months, their sighted locations, and potential reasons for the “wasp invasion”.
It’s understood Casey Council last year received more than 100 complaints about wasp nests in the municipality.
“It’s definitely getting worse. I’ve got them at my house and I’ve never had them before,” Cr Stapledon said.
“I want to make sure our residents are safe and identify if there’s a European wasp in their home or area.
“It’s not our jurisdiction on eradication but we need to inform people on the issue.”
Questioned by Cr Rafal Kaplon on the cost of this “exercise”, Cr Stapledon said the council could look to draw on the research currently being undertaken by the Federal Government.
The council’s findings are expected later this month.
In March Mr Wood used a joint Coalition meeting in Canberra involving Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce to seek up to $1.5 million over three years for research into how to effectively exterminate European wasp nests.
He said he had received overwhelming community feedback about the prevalence of wasp nests in his local area.
The push comes after the ABC reported Victoria was experiencing its highest rate of wasp activity in 15 to 20 years.
“Like everyone you accept that wasps are around, but I noticed them more this year. They’re absolutely everywhere,” Mr Wood said.
“That was my first-hand observation, then I put something on my Facebook page and we had over 100 comments on it.
“And then you read about parents being stung and kids being stung.
“It all happened rather quickly. We found it was getting a big response, even in areas down the south of the electorate, suburbs like Narre Warren, even though they’re more residential.”
Mr Wood sought the help of staff from the Parliamentary library who have since been researching the seeming increase of European wasps not only in Eastern and South-Eastern Victoria, but also parts of Tasmania, New South Wales and Western Australia.
Research indicates a single nest can harbour up to 100,000 wasps.
Mr Wood said he expected to have a clearer idea in the next two to three months whether the funding would be provided under the Federal Budget in May.
