8/7/2019 Destroying wasp nests: a step-by-step guide with Abbie and Mark Jury http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/destroying-wasp-nests-a-step-by-step-guide-with-abbie-and-mark-jury 1/1 for more information visit our website, or call UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP for more informatio visit our website, , o call w w w . c h u r c h w o o d b r i d a l . c o .n z 06 75 7 5 5 0 3 Introducing ... Shirley & Kelly Phone 759 0092 • Fax 759 0013 • 0800 SO COOL Office/Showroom 136 Gill Street, New Plymouth email: [email protected] THEHEAT PUMPSHOP TaranakiRefrigeration A ir c on d it i on in g S pec i a l is ts 3 4 8 5 8 5 8 A A HIGH - We’ve got the HEAT PUMPS FUJITSU’S PERFORMANCE Plus BT Warehouse Handling Equipment for sale 34 HURLSTONE DRIVE P.O. BOX 3171, NEW PLYMOUTH P (06) 757 5197 OR 0800 30 30 90 F (06) 757 5158 MANAGER: MIKE ROBINSON GE RANGE OF PRODUCTS, PARTS & SERVICES! • Rental 40 forklifts from 1.5 to 10 tonnes! • Servicing All brands repaired incl. electrics • Sales New Toyotas and used trucks • Parts Toyota BT and all makes and models 3 5 0 9 9 8 8 A A Friday, February 18, 2011 T ARANAKI D AILY NEWS 11 G ARDENING www.taranakidailynews.co.nz sleya procera Brazilianbeauty: TheWorsleyaproceraisalso calledthe Empressof Brazil. Photo:MICHAELJEANS. st special plants flowering in our this week are the Worsleya (syn. W. rayneri) and they are y special because they have the ful common name of Empress of which tells you where they come They are also extremely rare in ion, a very beautiful lilac-blue in and generally regarded as almost ible to grow as garden plants. We wo growing in different positions arden where they are just left to wn devices with no special ent at all. When we had an tional tour of clivia enthusiasts h, a number were also bulb ados and they were genuinely sed that we could grow and flower oice bulb in the garden. They are usually grown as really pernickety container plants. True, our flower spikes do not match the 150cm in height that they are reputed to reach, but the flowers are large and a most unusual colour in the bulb world. There is only one species of worsleya but if you go back a step to the extended family, they are related to hippeastrums, crinums and amaryllis. Apparently in Brazil, they grow on steep granite cliffs beside waterfalls (where it is hard to imagine a flower spike of 150cm) but our garden conditions in no way resemble the natural habitat. The foliage is really interesting, arching in a semi circular, sickle fashion. These bulbs are not for the impatient gardener. Mark was standing looking at one of ours with Auckland plantsman, Terry Hatch, who originally supplied it to us. They agreed that was a long time ago, maybe as much as eight years. Mark found the label and it was in fact 15 years. It had taken 13 years to flower the first time. Time flies, apparently, when you are a gardener. Sadly, both ours are the same clone (one was an offset) and you need two different clones to get viable seed. Pukekura Park’s worsleya in the Fernery is not going to flower this year so if any local readers happen to have one in flower, we would love to swap pollen. – Abbie Jury The gecko family A kind reader from the herpetological society (www.reptiles.org.nz) rang to tell us that our gecko is most likely a heavily pregnant Hoplodactylus pacificus. This is good because it must mean that we have at least two resident gecko but it did necessitate a name change. Geck, or Gok was quickly renamed Glenys (Mark’s choice). She has been out sunbathing most days but apparently when she gives birth to her live young (probably two of them), we will no longer see her because she is largely nocturnal by nature, though we may catch sight of her babies which will apparently resemble matchsticks with legs. Alas, the babies are vulnerable to every predator you can think of, including other geckos, but we have our fingers crossed that this may indicate a hitherto unsuspected resident gecko population. The flocking kereru have now increased to more than 20 and we are none the wiser as to why they are congregating here but we are pleased to have them around. They arrive in pairs or threes. Mark’s theory is that they are either introducing their young to their uncles and aunts or they are swapping slaves, or maybe troublesome adolescents. – Abbie Jury Photos:ABBIEJURY troying wasp nests: a step-by-step guide Abbie and Mark Jury. 1 Wasp nests need to be killed off or they can build up to a dangerous size and over-winter. If you see a few wasps, follow them to see where the nest is. These can be in holes in the ground, in dense vegetation, in holes in walls and, on occasion, in your house roof. It is probably best to call the professionals for any inside your house, but garden nests can be dealt to safely and easily. 2 We use a very small quantity of Lorsban (available to approved handlers only) but any powdered insecticide will work. Carbaryl is widely used. The critical detail is that it needs to be in powder form because you are relying on the wasps unwittingly transferring the powder into the nest. Use gloves whenever handling insecticide as a safety precaution. Mark has a measuring spoon wired to a pole about two metres long. You need a steady hand but this means he never has to get near the nest and he has never been stung using this approach. It takes under half a poon to kill most nests, depending on the accuracy of your placement. 4 Morning is the best time. The wasps are a little dozy because they have not yet warmed up and most are out foraging. As they return they will take the powder in. We do not recommend evening or dusk. You are far more vulnerable to attack when they are all in residence. Move lightly and quietly to sprinkle the poison around the entrance, ideally on the inward side. Heavy footed stomping or noise will put the wasps on alert. It only takes a matter of an hour or two to kill the nest out if you get your placement of the insecticide right. 5 If you want a more organic approach, you can kill them with petrol fumes but you have to get closer and the risk of being stung is higher. Partially fill a small bottle with about 200ml of petrol and plug the top of it into the entrance hole to the nest so the fumes and liquid flow in and it blocks the exit. The biggest drawback here is that you need to do this on dusk or at night when all the wasps are in residence. It is the fumes that kill them. Do not set fire to it. Move very quietly and lightly. Generally nests have guard wasps which will fly straight at you. For this reason, Mark strongly favours the insecticide in the morning. subscribe ph 06 759 0808 today money save