Ok, so who cares? Its a wasp not a bird. If I were talking about just one or two birds, I would agree that their feathers shouldn’t really affect them. However, in this specific case, I’m talking about tens of thousands of them regularly entering my yard, and based on what I’ve recently observed in Victoria, I’m not the only person in my state who is currently dealing with this. This kind of problem can arise anywhere in the world if there is a wasp colony nearby, or (as was the case with me) if you live in an area where the wasp population is plague-like (i.e., the nest isn’t necessarily close).
I have taken to tying a bucket to my back fence and putting fruit inside to draw in wasps on those really bad days when they are all over everything. At least this seems to attract/focus them in one area. This has the added advantage of enabling me to use my electrified racket to cover the bucket’s entrance and exit, which will reduce their numbers. In a similar vein, some of my friends have tried comparable commercially available traps but haven’t had great luck. Killing worker wasps just doesnt solve the issue.
Finding and eliminating any nearby nests is the best way to deal with wasp issues, but if you are unable to do so, pay attention to the effects they are having on your birds. It’s possible that these nasty creatures are preventing your bird from accessing its food bowl, which would explain any weight loss. If so, you need to make sure your bird can continue to get food.
Avoid using bug repellent near birds unless it is a permethrin-based product (which is typically applied to mites). Killing every worker wasp would take too much effort for one person, and those sprays aren’t strong enough to work quickly. As quickly as I can kill the queens, more workers are being produced by them. However, I have been using an electrified tennis racket to zap the more tenacious ones. On certain days, wasps have been so fierce in their defense of my lorikeets that the tennis racket is the only thing that has let me get close enough to remove the birds.
Native to Europe, North Africa, and temperate Asia, European wasps They shouldn’t technically be in Australia, but they were initially discovered there in 1959 in Tasmania and on the mainland in 1977. They seem to enjoy stowing away in human-operated vehicles, so it’s likely that they arrived by accident on a boat or airplane. In Australia, every attempt to eradicate them has been fruitless and abandoned. They are here to stay.
Africanized Honey Bee (“Killer Bee”) Stings to Animals
The common honey bee was introduced to the New World by European settlers and went on to colonize both North and South America. In laboratories in Brazil, African bee colonies were crossed with more domesticated European varieties; they broke free in 1957. When defending the hive, the hybrid species becomes much more agitated and aggressive, exhibiting swarming behavior. These Africanized “killer bees” eventually made their way to the southern United States from South and Central America.
Africanized bees resemble their European counterparts in many ways, but one physical difference is the way they sting. The habit of Africanized bees to sting in large numbers is concerning, even though their behavior is still primarily defensive. Depending on the size of the colony, the bees may sting hundreds or thousands of times in response to a threat to the colony. These bees can follow their prey up to a kilometer away from the hive, and because the hives are outside, it’s possible for pets to come into contact with them by accident. These exposures may be fatal for companion animals due to the possibility of such high venomous volumes.
Honey Bee, Wasp, Hornet, and Yellow Jacket Stings to Animals
There are a number of poisonous species in the Hymenoptera order, such as yellow jackets, wasps, hornets, and honey bees. These species are typically not aggressive, only stinging when provoked or attacked. In female drones, the stinger is a modified ovipositor located at the end of the abdomen. This stinger in honey bees is barbed, which causes the bee to die immediately after stinging because the venom sac and stinger are torn from the abdomen. Because the stingers of the other species are not barbless, wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets can sting repeatedly. Vasoactive amines, hydrolyzing proteins, phospholipase, hyaluronidase, the neurotoxin apamin, and mast cell degranulating peptides are among the substances found in the venom.
Within minutes of the sting, the venom can cause localized pain and swelling that can progress to erythema, edema, and anaphylaxis. Localized reactions resolve quickly, within minutes, unless severe reaction occurs. It is advised to remove the stinger if at all possible. Other treatments include pain management, using a cool compress, giving antihistamines as needed, and receiving supportive care. More intensive care, such as IV fluids, corticosteroids, epinephrine, and antihistamines, may be necessary in cases of severe anaphylaxis.
FAQ
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