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If you’ve ever cracked open a fresh egg in the bush, you’ll know one thing immediately:
It doesn’t stay unnoticed for long.
For decades in Aotearoa, eggs have been used in stoat tunnels and bait stations – not because they’re convenient, but because they work.
Eggsellent takes that proven science and makes it easier, cleaner, and more effective to use.
Let’s break down why egg works so well – and where Eggsellent fits into a smart, humane pest control strategy.
Why Egg Is Such a Powerful Lure
Research carried out for the Department of Conservation showed that captive stoats readily consumed raw hen eggs and were strongly attracted to their odour.
In fact:
Stoats were highly attracted to raw egg odour.
Eggs proved far more attractive than most artificial flavours tested.
Hen eggs lasted significantly longer in the field than fresh meat or dead animals.
Fresh meat and mice are highly palatable – but they break down quickly. Eggs, by contrast, can last 1–2 months, making them one of the most practical long-life natural baits identified for mustelid control.
That balance – attractive and durable – is rare.
And its exactly why egg-based lures have remained a cornerstone of stoat control in New Zealand conservation programmes.
From Whole Eggs to Eggsellent
Whole eggs work – but they’re not always practical.
They can be:
Messy
Fragile
Removed from traps by animals
Exposed to non-target species if not contained properly
Eggsellent was designed to solve those problems.
It’s like having an egg in a bottle – but thicker, stickier, and far easier to apply.
Instead of placing whole eggs in a tunnel, you can:
Squirt Eggsellent directly onto trap triggers
Apply it inside bait stations
Use it around kill traps
Prefeed without introducing toxins
The viscous texture gives it excellent stickability, meaning target animals must investigate and interact with the trap.
Highly Attractive to Possums, Rats, and Stoats
While eggs are well known for stoat control, their appeal isn’t limited to mustelids.
Egg-based lures attract:
Stoats – natural nest predators
Rats – opportunistic omnivores
Possums – curious feeders that investigate high-protein food sources
This makes Eggsellent a versatile tool across multiple control programmes.
Instead of managing separate lures for different species, you can use a proven, natural attractant that aligns with real predator behaviour.
Why Prefeeding Matters
One of the most important findings from predator control research is this:
Prefeeding dramatically improves success rates.
Target animals become familiar with:
The flavour
The smell
The delivery method
The location of the bait station
When toxic bait is later introduced in the same format, uptake increases significantly .
Eggsellent is ideal for this stage.
Because it’s non-toxic, you can:
Establish feeding behaviour
Build confidence in the site
Monitor interest levels
Reduce bait shyness
Then, when you transition to a toxic phase (where appropriate), animals are already conditioned to engage.
That’s smarter control.
Where Eggsellent Fits in Humane Pest Management
At Connovation, we believe pest control in Aotearoa must balance necessity with responsibility.
Introduced predators place immense pressure on native taonga species – kiwi, kākā, whio, mōhua – and protecting them requires action.
But how we act matters.
Our philosophy is built on:
Species-selective tools
Faster-acting more humane toxins where lethal control is required
First-generation anticoagulants like diphacinone
High-dose Vitamin D₃ solutions
Low-residue approaches
Non-toxic tools wherever possible
Eggsellent plays a key role in that toolbox.
It allows you to:
Reduce unnecessary toxic exposure
Strengthen targeted control strategies
Improve trap performance
Support ethical, science-led operations
It’s not about replacing toxins entirely.
It’s about using them more intelligently.
Practical Advantages in the Field
Eggsellent offers:
Easy-to-use squirt bottle
Excellent stickability
Natural egg-based formulation
Non-toxic and safe for prefeed use
Highly attractive to possums, rats, and stoats
No cracking.
No shell disposal.
No fragile bait handling.
Just controlled, targeted application.
Does Natural Mean Less Effective?
Not at all.
In fact, the DOC research showed natural food odours like egg and raw meat outperformed most synthetic flavours tested .
Predators respond to what they’ve evolved to seek.
Eggsellent works because it taps into that instinct.
The Bigger Picture: Protecting Whenua the Smart Way
In Aotearoa, pest control isn’t optional.
Our ecosystems evolved without mammalian predators. Without intervention, native species decline.
But we can choose how we intervene.
By combining:
Effective lures
Targeted toxins
Responsible delivery systems
And a commitment to avoid high-residue poisons to reduce environmental impact
We support true kaitiakitanga.
Eggsellent may seem simple – but behind it is decades of predator control research and field experience.
Sometimes innovation isn’t about inventing something entirely new.
Sometimes it’s about taking what works – like egg – and making it better.
