The tiny insect responsible for big problems at Brisbane Airport

“The incident with the Etihad aircraft highlighted the need to respond appropriately to any sort of hazard to flights, no matter how small,” Mr Ring said.

“We had to identify the appropriate measures because aircraft have a number of these probes which give critical flight data to the pilot which is critical for flight.”

The airport commissioned research into the wasps’ behaviour and whether there was any way to stop them targeting the probes.

Dr Alan House from science consulting firm Eco Logical Australia did the research, using 3D-printed replicas of the probes places at various points around the airport to find out what species of wasp used them, and whether there was any type of probe they preferred.

Dr House said of the dozens of…