It’s not too late to eradicate them - every Aucklander can help.
These hornets are not native to New Zealand and pose a serious threat to our insects and pollinators. If they become established the impact would be severe for beekeepers, growers and our biodiversity. Pollination is important for much exports such as kiwifruit and other fruit, it also supports pasture productivity with the nitrogen fixing of clover and other plants. Increased management costs and reduced productivity are real risks
The good news is that New Zealand has a skilled and experienced response team. MPI Biosecurity is supported by a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and beekeeping organisations, and is following best practice with advice from international experts who have dealt with these hornets.
I have met the people from MPI leading the fight against the hornet, our biosecurity minister, and beekeeping organisations, and I have every faith that the experts are doing everything necessary to deal with this invasion.
Our best defence is still the vigilance of members of the public reporting suspected nests or hornets.
- If you see a suspected hornet or nest: photograph it, record location and report to MPI online or hotline 0800 809 966
- Do not try to remove the nest yourself: MPI will destroy the nest safely ensuring that no hornets escape
- Stings: Hornets sting multiple times with much longer stings than bees and can spray venom into eyes if threatened
- Beekeepers: set traps and regularly monitor hives for “hawking”
Scan this QR code with the camera on your phone to link directly to the MPI hornet response page.
As of writing this, there still have not been any sightings outside of the initial Glenfield/Birkdale zone. The reason that they have added Zone C (11km from ground zero) is because of the development of the hornet’s lifecycle (workers present) rather their territorial expansion. Nests are no longer producing a single queen, but also hundreds of workers. Their workers predate on other insects; especially honey bees, which is why all beekeepers in Auckland are asked to set traps and regularly monitor their hives as they are like magnets to hornets. Also, beekeepers around the country are asked to monitor apiaries in case the hornets have accidentally been transferred on vehicles or machinery.
Eradication is possible but it will take a sustained effort. Please check your garden for possible nests or hornets. The next best thing that you can do is to share the urgency on social media and counter the negative or malicious posts that undermine this important drive to eradicate the invasive yellow legged hornets. Check out the MPI website for up-to-date information and identification of hornets and be a positive force for good to help us all eradicate hornets from our delicate ecosystem.
This is not a political issue or about the effectiveness of MPI, this is a threat to our honey industry and anything that relies on pollination, and our biodiversity. Get out there and check for hornets and when online, counter false information. We can do this New Zealand.
Ken Brown
Apiculture Tutor, Land Based Training Ltd
President Auckland Beekeepers Club
