Source: Northland Regional Council
Northland’s first ever rohe wide moth plant competition has proved a great success with a total of 37,704 pods and 44,129 vines (with roots) collected over two and a half months by 38 registered teams and individuals.
The overall winner ‘Chasing Kings’ based in Pakaraka in the Far North collected an astounding total of 33,799 points for the pods and vines collected, taking home the $500 prize money.
Second place went to the ‘Pod Poppers’ of Glenbervie, Whangārei with team Project Island Song from the Bay of Islands taking out third placing. The competition awarded one point per pod collected and three points for every vine/seedling with roots intact.
On the back of taking out the Kerikeri High School moth plant competition in 2025, Aroha Chase from team ‘Chasing Kings’ was determined once again to get stuck in so entered the Northland Regional Council competition with her partner.
Most of the moth plant pods and vines Aroha weeded and entered were located around her Pakaraka community. Whether it was a trip to the playground or an outing to Waipapa or Kerikeri, getting rid of moth plant amongst the everyday activities soon became the norm. For Aroha, the desire to move the fast-growing moth pant has been a “personal thing” since listening to a talk on the pest plant during her school days.
“I find gardening fun; you’ll often find me in the garden and weeding around our home – In a way it goes hand in hand with the competition.”
Northland Regional Councillor and Chair of the Biodiversity and Biosecurity Working Party, Jack Craw says staff were delighted with the participation of both teams and individuals motivated to get rid of the invasive plant.
“Everyone who participated is a winner and it’s really satisfying to see the engagement from the public, including community groups and schools. Making a difference isn’t just about collecting the most pods, even a handful of collected pods will mean there are 1500 fewer moth plants in Taitokerau. Every vine pulled and pod collected counts.”
“As well as removing pods and vines from the environment, the competition has also helped to educate the public on moth plant. Competitions like this grab people’s interest and then they start to notice it and what a destructive impact it can have, with its fast growing, smothering vines.”
Councillor Craw says NRC Biosecurity staff were encouraged by the spread of entries around the rohe which include participants from as far south as Mangawhai in Kaipara to Kaitaia in the Far North.
The Northland Regional Council is looking forward to running the competition again next autumn, growing entries and appreciating the continued benefit it will have on te taiao.
Official NRC 2026 Moth Plant Competition results:
First place: Chasing Kings – 33,799 points Second place: Pod Poppers – 17,301 points Third place: Project Island Song – 16,301 points
The five $50 spot prizes:
-The Bevan Moth Busters
-The Garden Hoes
-Kolkman Whanau
-De Boer Lane
-Team Audrey
Want to know more? There’s lots of great information on our Pest Control Hub https://www.nrc.govt.nz/environment/weed-and-pest-control/pest-control-hub/plant/moth-plant/