Source: Radio New Zealand
The sightings have so far been contained to the Glenfield and Birkdale areas. RNZ / Isra’a Emhail
The number of queen yellow-legged hornets found in Auckland this summer has reached 43.
Yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina), a pest hornet not known to be established in New Zealand, are considered a biosecurity concern, due to the potential impact on honeybee and wild bee populations.
Sightings, which started in late October, have so far been contained to the Glenfield and Birkdale areas on Auckland’s North Shore.
Biosecurity Commissioner Mike Ingliss said help from the public had been “overwhelmingly positive”.
“We’ve had over 9770 notifications to date throughout the country, which allows us to focus our priority on where the confirmed sightings are, and we’ll continue to do that to eradicate the hornet.
“We’re urging Aucklanders to continue to be on the lookout for yellow-legged hornets or nests.”
Ingliss said, although they had received reports of possible sightings across the country, no sightings had been confirmed outside North Auckland.
He said many reports proved to be other species upon investigation. More than 500 registered beekeepers and apiaries were helping to search an 11km area.
“The focus is finding these queens, so they don’t hibernate over the winter period and then come back out next year.
“We’re in a good space, we’re confident in terms of resourcing.”
Thirty confirmed queen hornets were found with either developed nests or evidence of nesting.
He encouraged people to continue reporting suspected sightings of the hornets or their nests, and to provide an exact location when making a report.
You can make reports:
- By calling the exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 809 966
- By emailing info@mpi.govt.nz
- Or online at report.mpi.govt.nz (select the ‘plants, spiders or insects’ option from the dropdown list).
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
