Tauranga pest controllers are buzzing as record numbers of callouts to infestations of wasps and cockroaches at resident's homes fly in.

A mild winter and scorching summer seems to be producing optimum breeding conditions creating a spike in wasp numbers throughout the Bay of Plenty.

Bugs or Us owner Doug Kerr in his spraying gear. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Bugs or Us co-owner Duncan Kerr says on average they are treating between five and six wasp nests per day, compared to one or two in previous years. The team covers the area from the top of the Coromandel to Taupo, and across to Piako.

'As far as wasp nests are concerned it's probably the busiest summer I've seen in the 10 years of doing it,” says Duncan.

'And every wasp nest we are called to is larger than normal.”

German wasps are seen as the most common in the Bay and the spike has some home owners falling back to the more well-known, but dangerous, methods of using fly sprays and petrol, through to hitting nests with a broom.

'There is the normal throw a bit of petrol down the hole; we don't recommend that at all.

'We use an insecticide dust applied directly to the hole.”

But wasps are not the only pests turning out in force, with cockroaches a common issue around the homes.

'The cockroaches this summer have been exceptional as well and that actually never stops through winter. I would imagine as it cools down a bit it will settle itself down.”

Bug Busters Limited owner Craig Pedersen admits to also being kept busy with a constant stream of creepy crawlies and bug call outs – including wasps and cockroaches.

'I'm still busy, there is still a lot of German cockroaches and there is still a lot going on,” says Craig.

'From my point of view - once the flies stop flying people forget the other pests around the home. Wasp nests are something people need to be aware of and wary of.”

His main concern is not the frequency of the wasp call outs, but the increasing size of the nests and wasps. He also cautions the public to call in the experts before taking matters into their own hands.