A Sapphire Coast pest controller said there has been a huge increase in the number of requests to destroy wasp infestations he has recently received.
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The comments came after a post on a public Bega Valley social media page saw many residents saying they had been spotting the insects around the region.
Owner of Finn's Pest Control Andrew Warby said over the last month and a half he has destroyed about 150 European wasp nests, describing Bega as a "hotspot" for the pests.
"It seems to be since the thunderstorms at the end of summer, they seem to have split off and laid a lot of nests," he said.
Mr Warby has been a pest controller on the Sapphire Coast for 30 years and said it was "very usual" to see such high numbers.
Normally he takes out 20 to 30 nests a year, spread out over Merimbula, Eden and the back of Bemboka.
"But this year it seems to all be in Bega," he said.
The Australian Museum states European wasps (Vespula germanica) are an established pest in the country, first found in 1959 in Tasmania and by 1978 were in Victoria, South Australia, NSW and Western Australia.
The museum states they have a bright yellow and black banded abdomen, a pair of black spots on each yellow band and two pairs of clear wings. The wasps nest underground or in cavities in walls, ceilings, logs or trees.
Mr Warby said they also have a "very nasty sting".
The wasps initially mentioned on the social media page were Asian paper wasps, which differ from the European species.
The Australian Museum states the paper wasps had distinctive yellow and brown bands and tended to only be aggressive when defending their nests, otherwise were beneficial insects to have around the garden.
A NSW Department of Primary Industries spokesperson said Asian paper wasps (Polistes chinensis) have been established in New Zealand since the late 1970s and in Australia since the late 1990s and were regarded as an established species, not an invasive species.
"Their feeding behaviour is similar to native paper wasps," they said.
"DPI does not have a control program for this established species as they are not an agricultural pest and their biosecurity impact is minimal.
"Where they are causing a nuisance, a pest controller could help if people cannot deal with the problem themselves."
The spokesperson said if people found an exotic wasp or pest they could report it to NSW DPI Biosecurity Helpline on 1800 680 244.
Albert McKnight
Journalist at Bega District News.
Journalist at Bega District News.
