Kia Ora trappers, We are in the midst of bird breeding season, and stoat young are starting to leave the nest and explore the outside world. From local feedback, it would seem the possum population numbers are well down compared to what they have been, and rats seem to be under a strict thumb too. […]
Author Archives: Lenny Van Heugten
Pest News from Friends of Te Wairoa
Kia Ora trappers, We are heading into another burst of baiting and trapping before winter. There were great turn outs at the recent Hunua Market Day, Winstone’s Quarry and Ness Valley bait and trap days. We can happily update you on some further upcoming drop-in bait and trap restocking events: Sunday 18 April: Ararimu Hall, 10am […]
Trail Cameras: The Unsung Heroes in Pest Control
Trail cameras are a piece of arsenal in the pest control kit that aren’t as widely used as they could be. Despite not actively trapping pests, they help identify target species and locations for more efficient trapping. Cameras also indicate the presence of species to avoid catching, such as domestic cats or pukeko who often […]
Raising an Eco-kid
As an initial disclaimer, I do not claim to be a parent. I do claim to be a ‘grown-up’ eco-kid. The following are things I experienced during my childhood that directly influence my actions and decisions as an adult. I was raised to be aware of my surroundings, to respect the Earth which we borrow […]
Trapping Tips
Below is a mixture of tips and tricks both from Auckland Council recommendations and suggestions that have come from members of the Friends of Te Wairoa pest control project. There is no one correct way to control pests. They are intelligent and learn to be wary of certain things, and can also pass on these […]
Pest News from Friends of Te Wairoa
Kia Ora trappers, and welcome to the new members of our Wairoa river catchment pest control team. Alongside this newsletter, a friendly reminder to check, reset and rebait those pest eradication devices around your property, and send in your latest catch numbers. It may also be a time to review placement and spacing of traps. […]
Hugo McPhail: A Dose of Inspiration
Predator Free 2050 was always an ambitious goal, but bit by bit we are hearing regional success stories that make it seem increasingly possible. 2050 is still 30 years away, and when you think about it like that, you begin to realise that it is the younger generation that will be completing the task that […]
Lockdown: A Pest Control Success Story
We all had successes during lockdown – some focussed on up-skilling, some caught up on farm maintenance and some got on with home renovations. Some decided to give our local ecosystems a boost and catch one pest per day! A Hunua property successfully trapped one pest each day during level 4 lockdown, with some particularly […]
A Pile of Kereru Poo
It’s a common opinion that Kereru, the New Zealand native wood pigeon, are pretty neat. Their survival is much more crucial than you’d guess from a glance. A resident Kereru left behind a gift in the form of droppings, which were collected and added to seed raising mix with the following outcome: As you can […]
Trap.nz – A How To Guide
A live map showing pests caught in your area, and where neighbouring properties are trapping so that you can space traps accordingly – wouldn’t that be the dream? The dream exists. And we, at Friends of Te Wairoa, are beginning to use it. Please accept this as an invitation to download Trap.NZ free from the […]