Bait Stations

Thank you for acquiring bait stations for your property. Your contribution to controlling pests, thereby improving the flora and fauna on the Peninsula, is appreciated.

Installation To install a bait station you need two nails (75mm is a good size). Cut the head off one nail. To make it easier to unhook from the tree, the top hole on the station should be expanded. Simply put one of the nails in the hole and rotate on an angle until the nail slides into the hole easily.

Hammer the headless nail into the tree about 30-40mm and bend it upwards. Hook the bait station onto the nail and, keeping the bait station horizontal, locate where the bottom nail should be placed. Hammer in about 25 – 40 mm. When bent downwards this fastens the bait station to the tree.

Always install the station high up (above shoulder height) out of the reach of stock and young children and place warning signs where appropriate.

Which Way Round? The bait station can be placed either sideways or facing out. For a straight tree trunk always put the bait station sideways so the target animal can reach the bait. Sometimes the station can be placed facing out, but you need to ensure that the target animal can reach the bait (e.g. above a branch where the animal can sit).

October 2014

How to Fill Bend the bottom nail to a straight position and unhook the station from the tree. Turn the station upside down and remove the tray. (Instructions are on the tray itself). Fill the bait station, replace the tray, hook back onto tree and bend bottom nail down to make secure.

Volume, Frequency and Location Stations should be filled with around 500 grams (2 – 3 cupfuls). Check your stations monthly and replace any bait consumed. If the bait is not touched after two months, bury the old bait and replace with new bait. When you find that no bait is taken on a consistent basis, reduce the fill frequency to two monthly.

Locate your stations according to your circumstances. Possums love fruit trees and thrive in windbreaks as well as bush (native and exotic). Placement needs to be where it is convenient for you to access – large trees on bush boundaries are ideal.

You will need approximately one bait station every 100 metres for bush areas/ wind breaks etc. For areas more sparse, just put a station in a large tree and relocate it if no bait is taken after a few months.

Bait Please take the time to read the instructions and warnings on the bait bag. Keep the bait dry and secure from young children and pets. Also, because the bait only has a certain shelf life it is better to take less bait more frequently than to store large quantities. Any expired bait can be returned to the Landcare resource centre or buried.

Having Trouble? If your circumstances are such that you find it difficult to install a station, please contact Pete Shepherd (2351277, 021 2145425), Ian McNaughton (2350851) or Landcare Resource Centre (2351616).

October 2014