Wasps worry children

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 233, 1 March 1988, Page 1

Wasps worry children

Ohakune i s plagued by wasps at present and the biggest group of sting victims are children. Last week one mother reported a group of children running to her for help. "There were wasps swarming all over them,. inside their clothing. One little girl was stung about ten times and had to be taken to the doctor," she said. The children had been playing in a large empty section that is overgrown with scrub when they disturbed a nest. The council was asked if there was anything that could be done to get the owners to clean up the section. The reaction was to advise parents that the children shouldn't be playing on the land, that they were trespassing. "It's crazy, it's a huge section that's not fenced, there's no 'no trespassing' signs. It's only natural that kids are going to play there," said one mother. Council told the parents that it wasn't their problem and that they should ring Alan Nation, that he was the wasp expert. "Thankfully Alan Nation was only t o o happy to destroy the nest," said the mother.