Gardeners share bizarre microwave act as pest ravages Aussie backyards
Invasive pests aren't the first thing you think of putting in the microwave but that's exactly what some Aussie gardeners have been doing this week, in a rather peculiar yet growing trend to tackle the problem.
A photo of what looks like green peas or curled up leaves was shared online by one woman overnight with the resident, who lives in Perth's northeast suburb Duncraig, joking that it was a pleasant day "when the beautiful aroma of microwaved gall wasp fills your home".
Gall wasps are a native Aussie insect that originate from northern NSW and Queensland but are now established in many Perth suburbs after successfully spreading across the country, with the pest renowned for their ability to spread quickly and easily.
"I have done the same yesterday," one local responded after the photo was shared in a gardening group.
"Same!" another said, sharing their own proof of their microwave remedy.
Gall wasps lay their eggs in new shoots of citrus trees, and the tree develops distinctive galls that help the larvae grow before adult wasps emerge. The process negatively impacts the tree's health and its fruit.
"These wasps can reduce fruit production and can make citrus trees quite sick," Professor Brett Summerell, Chief Scientist at Botanic Gardens of Sydney previously told Yahoo News.
Pruning is a suitable control method to sustain the tree but burning can be another way to mitigate any risk of spread from the the wasp-infected offcuts — and this is where the microwave comes in. It's a method another Perth resident opted for last year when he "nuked [the offcuts] in the microwave" for five minutes to ensure the pests didn't spread anywhere else in his garden.
If left untreated, the galls created to house the larvae on the tree can disrupt nutrient and water flow which weakens the tree and, subsequently, fruit production.
While there is logic to the burning of offshoots in the microwave, it's not a recommended control method for gall wasps. Instead, WA's Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development suggest pruning out the new galls before winter and offshoots can be put in green waste or general rubbish bins as the larvae inside the galls will not survive at that time of year once removed from the tree.
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The timing of fertilising trees can also hinder or exacerbate larvae development and the department urges gardeners to avoid doing so in winter or spring as it can promote excessive tree growth in the spring that can help gall wasps thrive.
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