A New Wasp Invasion to the Top of the South. Nelson insect ecologist Richard Toft will be joined by MSc students Matthew Howse and Rose McGruddy from Victoria University to present their research into the latest invasive social wasp to be causing concerns in the top of the South: the European paper wasp (Polistes dominula). Matthew will discuss habitat preference, abundance, and survival of the wasp in its current range in Nelson and predict its future spread. Rose will be talking about the impact of European paper wasp predation on monarch butterflies and the knock-on effects for their swan plant hosts, and Richard will discuss the challenges faced in managing this new wasp invasion.
Back to top anchor
Public talk