Mount Grey
Original post
Tried to go up Mount Grey today. Nearly made the top of the bush when confronted by a fallen log just crawling with wasps. No way to cross it without exposing hands and legs to the inevitable.
Even the rest of the track was humming with very little other wildlife.
I hate wasps.
Does 100% deet repel wasps? If not what does
25 comments
Wasps are at alarming numbers in the Canty foothills... as a local near Mt Grey I'd say this season has been one of the worst.
Went for a picnic near Andrews Shelter at APNP last month and there would have been 20-30 wasps per sqm near the stream... just crawling around on the ground... there appeared to be Vespex bait stations in the nearby trees but maybe too recent to have an impact.
Have to agree with Geeves, Mt Grey has been somewhat neglected with its broken signs and rotting picnic tables. Hats off to the Rangiora Tramping Club who regularly keep the tracks clear.
Ha! 1st day out in canterbury since my temporary move here ... 10m into bush off the riverbed ... wasp sting! Maybe you're all correct to comment.
It has gotten so bad in the last few years that APNP and foothills are off limits from Dec to after the first good frosts. The wee beasties really take the enjoyment out of it.
Wasp-nest beetle and hoverfly get EPA nod for war on wasps
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/wasp-wipeout/124271025/waspnest-beetle-and-hoverfly-get-epa-nod-for-war-on-wasps
From that article
“Nobody’s used these agents before for biocontrol,” Brown said. “There’s not a manual we can follow; we have to figure it out ourselves.”
Does anyone want to calculate the chance of success? Didnt they release some other parasitic wasp many years ago and say really good things about it for a few years then back to square one?
The big advantage of biological controls is that once released they look after themselves. The bad thing is that once they kill it down to a certain level they die off and the problem comes back plus every now and then they attack other easier targets
Reading up on wasps it seems like peppermint is the repellant of choice. Wasps hate it so much a few drops of peppermint oil at the entrance to a nest will see the nest abandoned. Im thinking take a normal bottle of deet repellent and add 10 drops of peppermint essential oil and be ready for anything.
Thoughts?
Maybe the Dettol/baby oil home brew could be tweaked ?. Not keen on the Deet myself. Just sayin'.
What's this about homebrew repellant? I'm always keen to try new stuff especially if its DIY. The current natural repellant I have works for about 5 minutes. Not the biggest fan of DEET either not after my mate slathered up in it then dissolved my tent fly with his hands.
Dettol/baby oil mix ?. Don't think the dettol did much. But sandflies don't like the baby oil. But .. if u make 2 stripes of it on your arm, they will bite the space that got missed. There's better.
Just thinking it might be a way to spread the peppermint oil around more sparingly ?.
I see 12hr overnight snow forecast for Mt Hutt tonight. Global Warming to the rescue !.
We need 10 degree frosts not snow. Even better 4 inches of rain in 30 minutes followed by 10 degree frosts. Not good for the roads or farms I know but that should turn wasp nests into ice sculptures
Did I say I hate wasps
2 deleted posts from
PixelPioneer23
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| Forum | Tracks, routes, and huts |
|---|---|
| Started by | geeves |
| On | 6 April 2021 |
| Replies | 24 |
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