Costly lack of wasps (From The Argus)
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Costly lack of wasps
11:20am Sunday 3rd March 2013 in News
They are the scourge of the summer picnic, but wasps are costing councils thousands of pounds.
Worthing and Adur Councils have seen their pest control department fail to meet their budgets.
Both have blamed a drop in wasp numbers, resulting in people not needing their services.
Last year’s horrendous summer, which was effectively a washout, meant numbers were down on previous years.
It meant pest control income for 2012-13 was down by £15,000 for Worthing and £10,000 for Adur.
Pest control charges increased from 2011-12, with rats in domestic premises changed from being free to costing £30. The wasps charge is £50 – raised from £44 last year.
There is a reduced charge for those in receipt of income support, council tax benefit or housing benefit.
Sussex Wildlife Trust warned that next year was likely to be a similar story unless we have a long, hot summer.
Jess Price, from Sussex Wildlife Trust, said: “We certainly had fewer phone calls about wasps. And being outside it was noticeable there were fewer around at picnics and the like.”
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Comments(6)
getThisCoalitionOut
says...
12:54pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Too increase their prices at a time when the majority of people haven't had a pay rise in years is disgraceful and they keep putting council tax up as well.
There shouldn't be any charge for these services as quite often the problem of rats is down to the fact that the council has failed to clear rubbish left out - so why should the occupant of an address have to pay the council, the very people who have caused the problem? Madness but then we've all been programmed to accept this rubbish haven't we?
Nosfaratu
says...
1:30pm Sun 3 Mar 13
The Scientific Community has agreed that they are the main cause of honeybee and other pollinating insect decline. Wasps are also in this group.
That is why you have not seen a wasp recently.
Personally I hate the yellow critters but they fill a niche in the ecosystem of this country.
Blame Tes/Sain/Asd/Morr/Wa
it/Lid/Aldi.
RottingdeanRant
says...
4:43pm Sun 3 Mar 13
PorkBoat
says...
10:56pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Dr Pork wrote:Put jam on them and let them earn their benefits! To make sure they don't shirk their duty, they must catch a quota, or their benefits will be cut. No wasps? No welfare! That's what I say!
This is blatant discrimination. While the feckless benefits claimants, no doubt enjoy free-of-charge rat removal, the rest of us honest tax payers have to stump up our hard-earned readies to rid us of our vermin. No wonder this is going unreported.
They should make the jobless go out and catch the wasps, then perhaps they'd think twice before laying in bed half the day, getting up at dinnertime and flicking themselves off to 'Trisha'.
Dr Pork
says...
5:46am Tue 5 Mar 13
PorkBoat wrote:Exactly! Wasps for Welfare. What a campaign title that will be. And when winter comes around and all the wasps are hibernating, let the doleys go and wake them up - wake a wasp for welfare.
Dr Pork wrote:Put jam on them and let them earn their benefits! To make sure they don't shirk their duty, they must catch a quota, or their benefits will be cut. No wasps? No welfare! That's what I say!
This is blatant discrimination. While the feckless benefits claimants, no doubt enjoy free-of-charge rat removal, the rest of us honest tax payers have to stump up our hard-earned readies to rid us of our vermin. No wonder this is going unreported.
They should make the jobless go out and catch the wasps, then perhaps they'd think twice before laying in bed half the day, getting up at dinnertime and flicking themselves off to 'Trisha'.
And when all the wasps are caught the work-shy fops and ne'er-do-wells can go and live in the splendid network of fine, Victorian sewers beneath the town where they can catch rats, thus solving the rat problem AND the housing crisis at one fell swoop.
Dr Pork says...
12:42pm Sun 3 Mar 13
They should make the jobless go out and catch the wasps, then perhaps they'd think twice before laying in bed half the day, getting up at dinnertime and flicking themselves off to 'Trisha'.