Vespula germanica Traps
Bee-safe, reusable traps that draw foraging Vespula germanica (the German wasp) off your food — no chemicals, no single-use plastic.
Vespula germanica — the German wasp — is the scientific name for one of the two stocky yellow-and-black wasps that rule New Zealand summers. Introduced by accident and now spread across the country, it builds enclosed paper nests in the ground, walls and trees, and a single colony can hold thousands of aggressive workers.
A bee-safe GotchaPest wasp trap baited with a sweet fermenting liquid (beer or sugar-water) exploits Vespula germanica's late-summer sweet tooth, drawing foraging workers away from your food while leaving bees alone. UV-tough for our harsh sun, it empties and refills from the pantry season after season.
Why a reusable trap?
- ✓ UV-tough for the harsh New Zealand sun
- ✓ Refilled with everyday pantry bait — no chemicals
- ✓ Emptied and reused season after season
- ✓ Designed and made in New Zealand
Our vespula germanica traps
Fast, safe, and seriously effective — NZ-made wasp trap that protects pollinators.
Vespula germanica — the German wasp
Vespula germanica is the scientific name for the German wasp — the stocky, bright yellow-and-black Vespula wasp that dominates New Zealand summers alongside its close relative the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris). First recorded here in the 1940s, it has spread across the country and is one of our most damaging invasive insects, costing NZ an estimated $130 million a year.
Like all Vespula wasps, Vespula germanica is fiercely defensive of its nest and can sting repeatedly. Its late-summer switch to sweet food — honeydew, ripe fruit and sugary drinks — is exactly what makes a bee-safe, sugar-baited trap so effective. For full identification and biology, see our German wasp species guide.
Identify your pest first
A trap works best once you know exactly which pest you have. Start with our deep-dive New Zealand guides.
Frequently asked questions
Trap smarter with GotchaPest
UV-tough, NZ-made, reusable traps — paired with the app and Buzzy, the world's first AI Trap Buddy.
Ask Buzzy