A wasp plague could get someone "bloody killed" in Western Southland, Fairfax NZ News reports.

Tuatapere farmer John Broughton spoke to Fairfax about the wasp problem in his rural town, which is making him worry for the safety of his family and his livestock.

"I've never seen this many wasps before," Mr Broughton said, adding, "The wasps are at a plague level and it's got to the point where there is a worry that if the kids wander away from the house they could be seriously hurt."

Mr Broughton reported his shorn lambs and calves sometimes disturb the wasps, and when they do, they get badly stung afterwards.

Mr Broughton suspects the wasps thrive around his gum trees, which is managed by Southwood Export Limited.

"The wasps seem to be thriving in the gums that give off a dew which they use as a food source," he said. "There are pretty big nests every 30 metres in the forest and the exploding number has created about 40ha around the edge of the forest that is now a 'no-go' area."

Mr Broughton has asked Southwood but he has yet to hear from them this year.

"Last year Southwood paid half for pest control but we haven't had any help this year," he said.

Environment Southland has come to Mr Broughton's property but the office could not help because farm owners like him are required to manage or get rid of pests in their own property.

However, Mr Broughton has failed each time he made an attempt at killing the wasps.

"No one seems to want to take responsibility for the problem and if something isn't done to control the wasps someone will get bloody killed," he told Fairfax.

Fairfax spoke to Southwood Export general manager Graeme Manley, who told the news agency that Mr Broughton and the other property owners in the Lilburn Valley have been informed that Southwood would look into the reported wasp situation.