Biosecurity Spotters logo

English wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

The introduced English wasp is a pest in Australia that can sting people and, in a small proportion of cases, cause a life-threatening allergic reaction. It also preys on insects and competes with native wildlife for sugary foods, while scavenging around fruit, rubbish and picnic areas.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, invertebrate.

Native to: Europe, Asia, and parts of North America.

Established in: QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS.

Other names: Common wasp, Common yellowjacket, Gemeine Wespe.

Best time to act: Look for active nests during the warmer months and arrange treatment as soon as they are found, before colonies produce queens and males in autumn.

Identification

  • Workers are yellow and black, with yellow bands on the thorax that are almost parallel.
  • A worker has a black mark behind the eye on the side of its head.
  • The yellow face usually has a black anchor-shaped or dagger-shaped mark.
  • Black dots and rings on the abdomen are usually joined together.
  • Nests are often underground or in cavities in trees and buildings.
  • Look-alike: The German wasp, Vespula germanica, is similar in size and yellow-and-black colouring; compare facial and abdominal markings or seek expert identification.

Where it lives

In Australia it nests underground and in cavities in trees and buildings, and forages for insects, honeydew, nectar, fruit and food scraps.

Why it matters

  • Stings are painful and can be life-threatening for people who have a severe allergic reaction.
  • Wasps eat native insects and compete with native animals for insect prey and sugary food sources.
  • They can reduce honeydew available to native insects and birds, disrupting food webs and forest ecosystem processes.
  • They can affect beekeeping, forestry and horticulture, and may raid rubbish bins and picnic sites.

How it spreads

  • Fertilised queens overwinter and start new colonies in early spring; colonies grow through the season and produce queens and males in autumn.
  • Queens can stow away in human goods and be accidentally transported.
  • Inspect goods and equipment before moving them, especially if wasps or a nest may be concealed.

Control methods

  • Keep people and animals away from an active nest; do not dig it out, block its entrance or disturb it.
  • Arrange assessment and treatment by a qualified pest controller, using registered products or other approved methods according to their label and instructions.
  • Only remove the nest physically after it has been made safe, and have the controller check for continuing wasp activity.
  • If the wasp is suspected to be a new or unusual occurrence, contact the relevant state or territory biosecurity agency for advice.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Before moving vehicles, goods or equipment, check for wasps and concealed nests, as queens may be transported in human goods.
  • Do not transport nest material or goods known to contain wasps; contain and seek advice on suspect material before moving it.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: General biosecurity duty. Not prohibited matter in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Declared pest (C1), prohibited. C1 Exclusion: to be kept out of WA, or out of the parts of WA where it is not established. Report any sighting to DPIRD. It must not be brought into WA (prohibited organism).
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Not a declared pest. Not on an NT declared or prohibited list. Check with the NT Government before keeping, moving or releasing it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania

Sources