Backyard Pest Control

Obviously, the greatest threat to our native plants and animals in New Zealand are introduced pests such as

  • stoats (Mustela erminea),
  • possums (Trichsurus vulpecula),
  • rats (Rattus spp.),
  • mice (Mus musculus) and
  • HEDGEHOGS (Erinaceus europaeus occidentalis), alongside
  • feral cats (Felis catus) and
  • unruly dogs (Canis lupus familiaris).

In 2016, our government announced Predator Free 2050, an ambitious scheme to eradicate possums, rats and stoats by 2050. This will require immense effort on many fronts, using novel techniques alongside old but effective ones, and the involvement of many, many people on the ground in terms of checking and resetting traps, replacing baits, inventing more effective systems, donating money – the list goes on.

Pests are not only an issue in remnant, regenerating and natural habitats. They are present in urban areas and on private property too, where the Department of Conservation (DoC) spend less funding. BUT: human population density is higher here.

If everyone were to have at least one possum trap set, one rat bait station and one mouse trap set on their property, and regularly checked, we would already come a long way.

These areas are abundant in food scraps and warm, dry areas so are ideal for rats and mice in particular. Imagine the ground we could cover if we all had one of each!

There are various types of traps and baits of varying effect.  Timm’s traps have become an icon for possum trapping, and can be found at your local hardware store. We effectively bait them using cut apple rubbed with cinnamon. The traditional mouse trap is also very effective, baited with peanut butter or cheese melted with a lighter to release the more pungent smell.  

The team at Connovation work on research and development of pest control technologies, and stock all the basic hardware required to start out. They have recently released a new bait called Double Tap, which is effective against possums and rats, with a faster kill-time and low risk of secondary poisoning. Connovation have just started distributing the Flipping Timmy possum trap (a modified Timms trap) designed to easily mount and set horizontally on trees.

Goodnature have designed self-resetting automatic traps for possums, rats and mice that are powered by a replaceable gas canister. When triggered, a pin humanely kills the pest instantly without the use of poisons. The pest will fall free from the trap and attract scavengers, and return nutrients to the soil beneath as it decomposes.

Some pubs and other organisations have in the past supported pest control in the form of ‘free beer’ rewards per however many possum/rat tails brought in, or providing funding to local projects when purchasing certain products. Tourist attractions such as Rotorua Canopy Tours fund their own pest control projects through their income from sending people down zip lines through the forest. Such innovative reward systems will be crucial to getting more people involved and in raising awareness of how dire our situation is.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it will only continue to grow brighter as we continue to bait and trap, continue to share knowledge, continue to motivate each other. Working with our neighbours is key to achieving Predator Free 2050.

Pukekohe 5 Summits Opening

This Sunday Nov 10th 9.30am at Pukekohe Railway Station sees the opening of the new Pukekohe 5 Summits Walking and Cycle Trail. Come along and join in. This is a great initiative from Pukekohe Tramping Club as part of their 50th celebrations and promises to be an awesome starting point for more trails in our area. While most people will be walking some of us will be on bikes. You are welcome to join the informal opening trail journey.

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Waikato Landcare Day Otaua & Aka Aka

On Tuesday Nov 19th with Waikato Regional Council and NZ Landcare Trust we are hosting an interesting Field day at Otaua and then a trip onto Stu & Kim Muir’s place to check out some real wetland restoration. It is 9.30am – 3.30 and the option of a bbq up at Andrew & Louise Sinclair’s later on. It is a great day out to catch up with friends and meet a wide range of people across the Waikato and Auckland helping out to improve our environment.

Topics will include the impact of market gardening on our spoils and water and the latest on Predator Free developments including featuring the mighty Rat Rangers of Otaua. The visit to Stu & Kim’s will include looking at wetland restoration for whitebait restoration. Pest control to help the endangered wetland birds such as bittern, spotless crakes, banded rail and fern birds. Also a cool new development with a raised board walk.

If you are able to help with setup and / or cleanup on the day please contact Andrew Sinclair 021 268 1904

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Mauku Weeding, Sat Nov 9th at St Brides

Reminder for for working bee tomorrow morning, Sat Nov 9th at St Brides, Findlay Rd, Mauku 10.00am – 12.00. This is a woolly nightshade and chinese privet cleanup. Bring long sleeves, trousers solid footwear and a sharp spade. Perhaps a small, sharp handsaw if you have one. Other tools provided. Come and check out the new planting at the same time.

Whiriwhiri Kaka

Whiriwhiri Kaka

2020 Update: The second year running the Kaka have turned up. In 2019 it was two in Sept / Oct but this year they have turned up much earlier arriving in April with four still hanging about three months later.

2020 Four kaka by moonlight
2020 Kaka

A juvenile Kaka made himself resident at Whiriwhiri last month. The local bird population were a little bemused by this character, both the starlings and tui tried to suggest he move on but the little guy had none of it.

A few weeks later he found a mate and they’ve been entertaining each other ever since. We suspect they’re juveniles, most probably on a visit from the gulf islands.

Whiriwhiri Kaka’s new mate

Mayoral Conservation Award 2019

It’s been a crazy 12 months keeping up with all that’s happening in the Predator Free space. We’ve been trying to engage as many people as we can, in as many ways as possible. At points, the interest has been a little overwhelming. So when we were invited to the Mayoral Awards for a free beer we put the tools away, spruced up and headed north.

There was a whisper we’d been nominated for something but not wanting to get ahead of ourselves we focussed on the hor d’oeuvres and the Tuatara Pilsner. Things were going well on that front when a guy named Phil interrupted a distractingly dry piece of sourdough with stinky cheese by suggesting we come to the stage to receive the 2019 Mayors Conservation Award (in the collaboration section.) Well thanks very much Mayor Goff !

Predator Free Franklin is a joint effort between Whakaupoko Landcare, Friends of Te Wairoa and Predator Free Whiriwhiri, so this award is recognition of the people who make those groups tick. Thanks to them and to the Franklin Board, Auckland Council, DOC and Waikato Regional Council who provide much of the resources to keep our efforts going.

Angela Fulljames (Franklin Board), Michael Ngatai (Auckland Council), Glen Richards, Andrew Sinclair, Andy Saunders

School Holidays = Action

The school holidays are here and it is time to top up your bait stations and reset traps. It is also a great time for carrying out a bird count to celebrate the impact you are having in your local area.

Come and join us on Wednesday 17th July for a community bird count. We will meet at 374 Whiriwhiri Road at 9.30 a.m. Bring your kids and grandkids and your walking boots for a walk across some beautiful countryside and count some native birds along the way.

If you need to stock up on your bait supplies, you can do this before you head home. If you can’t make the bird count, you can call in between 4.30 and 6.30 at 374 Whiriwhiri Road. Please bring a bucket for your bait.

Southern Pestival

Waiuku hosted the Southern Pestival this month with guest speakers from across the Auckland region. Some inspiring stories came from the likes of the Waiheke the project where their aim is to be free of rats, possums and mustelids. They are very well funded and organised with a mixture of contractor and private land owner involvement.

Perhaps the best story was that of the Hunua Kokako re-establishment, the release of 20 breeding pairs and almost losing them all. With 15 years of learning and intense predator control a recent bird count resulted in over 300 pairs counted in one quarter of the protected area !

Not to be outdone though, the Otaua Rat Rangers were on display along with our efforts at Whiriwhiri.

From the mighty Waikato

Stu Muir has had two corporate days to help plant over 2000 native trees. Regenerating miro matai and rimu as a seed source for the district, as well as a dozen other native species. Confirmed tomtits are thriving on Pakau across the river and have done 3 refills of bait stations up there. This is most encouraging to have another native bird species so close to our area.

There has been a great response from duck shooters and whitebaiters regarding bait days for the river with servicing some of the 1200 bait stations on the islands and river edge. There will be another hit in July just before whitebait season. Bait and other pest supplies are also being distributed to people living on the river during whitebaiting.

Tawera Nikau visited to discuss koi carp control and put in an application for 200k with pest free nz to look at developing koi carp as a lure for mustelids. Hosting Ngati te Ata Tamariki day on Sunday to reconnect to the awa and share matauranga Maori about flora and fauna, importance of pest control and restoration of wetlands / Bush blocks etc.

Stu comments that weasels and stoats are still being trapped along the river where uncontrolled they are prolific in this type of environment and highly destructive. Stu is developing a proposal to Young Farmers NZ via a role as director on Donald Pearson’s farm to engage them and Manurewa High School in restoration and pest control.  There has been a pledge from trees that count to do their planting. ( Hunua).

Below is a picture with no explanation. Some thoughts were that it was the latest in fishing techniques to scoop ‘the big one’. Others are thinking it may be to do with creating channels for whitebait restoration areas and suitable areas for revegetation.

Digging the Waikato

Franklin Pestival 2019

In 2018 a Pestival event was held at the Aotea Centre in Auckland. It was a chance for like minded folk and organisations to get together in a big room to share their stories and ideas. It grabbed a lot of attention and was generally very successful, a second event was called for. Now the Aotea Centre isn’t so convenient for Franklin folk so we said hey lets run one down our way, cue the ‘Franklin’ Pestival 2019.

Like all the good things in life it’s free! Franklin Pestival Registration

At Pestival you will:

  • meet like-minded people and hear how other landowners are nurturing native plants and animals on their properties
  • showcase community-led conservation activity
  • join the dots – find out what else is going on in your back yards and who’s doing it
    troubleshoot trap lines and other pesty problems
  • find out the latest on conservation community hubs

The pestival programme is designed by members of your own community and is a mix of presentations and discussions by environmental groups, mana whenua and agencies.

If you’d like to attend the Franklin Pestival 2019, please click the button above to complete your registration.

Registrations close:
Franklin Pestival – Friday 21 June

See you there!