Cafés have been forced to shut, stores have sold out of wasp traps, and children have been kept indoors as European wasp infestations sweep across regional Victoria.
These stinging insects can pose a serious health risk, particularly in large numbers, and while individual stings are usually manageable, multiple stings can be dangerous.
A hotter-than-average autumn has triggered a surge in European wasp populations, with pest control experts warning that ongoing warm weather will only worsen the issue in the future.
Café Overrun by Thousands of Wasps
Natasha Hall, owner of Walters 3460 in Daylesford, central Victoria, had to close her café for three days due to the swarming wasps.
“We make all our own pastries here, and while we were baking, thousands of wasps just started flooding in,” Ms Hall explained.
“We simply couldn’t risk having them near the food — it would ruin everything.”
She said the closure cost the business significant income during one of the region’s busiest times, with autumn leaves attracting tourists.
“Council gardeners have been a big help, and we’ve managed to reduce their numbers slightly over the past few days,” she added.
A Painful and Potentially Dangerous Threat
Although European wasp stings are intensely painful, most people experience only mild reactions to a few stings. However, Victoria’s health department warns that about one in 10 people stung multiple times can develop an allergy, increasing the risk of severe reactions or even anaphylaxis with future stings.
Authorities advise calling an ambulance if a child is stung more than five times, an adult more than ten, or if anyone is stung inside the mouth or throat due to the risk of airway obstruction.
‘Like a Horror Movie’
In nearby Creswick, residents say the problem has reached alarming levels.
Parisse Permezel, who has lived in the town for two and a half years, described the sudden arrival of wasps as overwhelming.
“They show up out of nowhere around this time every year, and suddenly they’re everywhere,” she said.
“I have two young kids and they can’t go outside. We can’t eat outdoors because the wasps are drawn to any food.”
In Ballarat’s Canadian suburb, Kirsty Jennings discovered a huge wasp nest inside the walls of her new home.
“The house had been empty for six months before we moved in. I noticed the plaster looked odd and when I tapped on it, it sounded like something out of a horror film — I could hear them buzzing in the walls,” she recalled.
A pest controller was called to safely remove the infestation.
Worsening Problem in Warmer Weather
Pest control specialist Chris Pianto from northern Victoria said European wasp numbers had been rising steadily.
“I think it’s the mild winters. In the past five years, we haven’t had the cold snaps we’re used to,” Mr Pianto said.
“Normally, nests die off over winter, but if it stays warm, they survive, and the problem just grows. With climate change, this is only going to escalate.”
He noted that since the 1990s, wasp numbers in northern Victoria have steadily increased, and previous government baiting programs aimed at reducing them have long since ceased.
An Aggressive Time of Year
Mr Pianto advised residents not to tackle wasps themselves.
“As the weather cools, they start producing new queens and get fertilised by the males. They become highly defensive and aggressive,” he warned.
“I even get cautious around them and I’ve been doing this for years.”
He added that while wasp traps might offer limited help, without baits that they can carry back to the nest, traps alone won’t control the population.
“If you’re outside with a sandwich, they’ll probably be more interested in your lunch than the trap.”
