Straight answerWasp traps catch wasps, but they don't reduce wasp numbers. A Landcare Research study in Nelson found trapping made no difference, even right beside individual nests, and traps also catch native insects. To get rid of wasps around your home, deal with the nest. Vespex bait kills nests, but only registered users can buy it.
Why traps don't fix a wasp problem
One German wasp nest raises between 11,000 and 13,000 workers in a single season, and the queen keeps laying. A trap that catches a few hundred wasps barely dents that, and the nest replaces them. Landcare Research's trials found no drop in numbers from trapping. A trap can make an outdoor table more bearable for an afternoon, but that is all it does.
How Vespex bait works
Vespex is a protein bait containing a small amount of the insecticide fipronil, developed with the Department of Conservation. It goes in raised bait stations. Foraging German and common wasps carry it back to the nest and the colony dies. It doesn't attract bees, and DOC pilots cut wasp activity by more than 95%.
Who can buy Vespex, and when it works
Only New Zealand residents registered with the maker as approved users can buy it, after watching a training video and passing an online quiz. Helpers must be supervised by an approved user. It works only when wasps are hungry for protein, roughly mid-January to mid-April, and it must never go into a nest entrance.
- German and common wasps only. Paper wasps hunt live caterpillars and ignore it
- Spring baiting of queens largely fails
- Signs must go up at public access points while bait is out
- On DOC land you need DOC permission first
What about homemade traps and sugar baits?
Sugary homemade traps mainly catch the wrong insects. The University of Auckland's Professor Jacqueline Beggs warns against homemade sugary mixtures because they can harm bees. They also catch native insects and honey bees along with the wasps, and like any trap they do nothing about the nest the wasps are coming from, which keeps replacing every wasp you catch.
The fix that works: find the nest
Wasps usually forage close to home, so lots of wasps in one spot means a nest nearby. Watch where they fly on a warm afternoon and you will often find the entrance in a bank, a hedge or the house. Then have it treated. How wasp nest removal works and what it costs.
Questions people ask
Do wasp traps attract more wasps?
A trap is baited to lure wasps, so it makes sense to keep any trap well away from where you sit. More importantly, Landcare Research found trapping didn't reduce wasp numbers, even near nests. Finding and treating the nest is what makes the difference.
Can I buy Vespex at a hardware store?
No. Vespex is sold only to New Zealand residents who register with the maker as approved users. Registration means a training video and an online quiz, plus a fee. The bait is used in special raised stations, never poured into a nest.
Sources we checked
- Wasp control (Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research)
- Vespex FAQ (Merchento)
- Wasp control (Department of Conservation)
- Wasp numbers explode after long hot summer (2025) (University of Auckland)
- Wasp FAQ (Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research)
Last reviewed 2026-10-06.