Vespa Wasps Make Residents Uneasy In Tulungagung, East Java, Firefighters Have Handled 66 Reports

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

TULUNGAGUNG - The Fire Fighting Unit (Damkar) team in Tulungagung Regency, East Java, has handled 66 vespa wasp (Vespa affinis) disturbances that have entered residential areas over the past two months.

"Vespa wasp disturbances tend to increase in the last two months. Just imagine, in a day we can carry out four evacuation measures due to this venomous insect disturbance," said Head of the Tulungagung Fire Department, Gatot Sunu, as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, March 9.

The cause of this increased vespa wasp disorder is not known.

According to Gatot, the sporadic migration of Vespa wasps is influenced by climate change and the destruction of the habitat of wild insects that have venomous stings that are damaged due to natural and human-made factors.

The Vespa wasp has a natural habitat in the forest area. The destruction of the wasp's natural habitat forces the stinger to build nests close to settlements.

Gatot believes the existence of the Vespa wasp has benefits for the environment.

"If the wasp nest is in a community housing we will evacuate. If it is in nature, I forbid members to evacuate," he said.

From the data from the Tulungagung Fire Department, during the period from January to February 2022, there have been 66 evacuations of Vespa wasps carried out by the Tulungagung Fire Department. As for other animals, such as snakes, only four evacuations were made.