Yellow-legged Hornets

Information from Biosecurity New Zealand – Please help us get rid of yellow-legged hornets

You may already be aware that Biosecurity New Zealand has work underway in your area to get rid of yellow-legged hornets. 

These invasive pests kill honeybees and also have a nasty sting.

As the weather warms up, our eradication response is entering a new phase, and we need your community’s help.

Since November last year, 77 queen hornets and 133 nests have been located and destroyed, and there have been no confirmed sightings since April.

If any managed to survive our operation, they’ll have been hibernating over winter and may begin emerging in the coming weeks to build new nests and establish new colonies.

Our staff are monitoring an extended trap network in the area and working with beekeepers. However, reports from the public are one of the most effective ways to help us find and remove hornets.  

What to look for

Please keep an eye out for yellow-legged hornets and their nests.

You can find photos, identification information and updates at: www.mpi.govt.nz/yellow-legged-hornet-2025  

How to report a sighting

If you see a hornet or hornet nest, please report it:

• Call the Exotic Pest and Disease Hotline on 0800 80 99 66

• Email info@mpi.govt.nz

• Report online at report.mpi.govt.nz  (select ‘suspected yellow-legged hornet’ from the dropdown menu.

When making a report, please include the location, and, if safe to do so, take a photo.

Interested in helping?

If you’d like to set up a hornet trap in your garden and register it with us, instructions are here.

Important – do not approach or try to remove hornets or nests

Public support is vital to this response, but please do not touch, disturb, or try to remove any suspected hornet or nest. Take a photo if possible and report it, along with the location, via the hotline or online. 

Thank you for helping protect our communities and honeybees.

The yellow-legged hornet response team, Biosecurity New Zealand