Current situation: 29 October 2025
Biosecurity New Zealand is urging Aucklanders to be on the lookout for yellow-legged hornets or nests.
Since June 2025, Biosecurity New Zealand has confirmed 5 detections of the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) across Auckland.
On 17 October 2025, a queen hornet was confirmed nesting in Glenfield. The nest was removed and destroyed the same day. A second nest was located and destroyed in another suburb 1.3 km away.
The nests were removed swiftly by biosecurity officers. However, there is a possibility that undetected nests remain.
Media release: Public urged to look out for hornets in Auckland (October 2025)
Risk to New Zealand from hornets
The yellow-legged hornet is a biosecurity concern due to its potential impact on honeybee and wild bee populations.
It primarily feeds on bees, wasps, and flies. It may compete with native insects and birds for food, and it has a painful sting.
How can you help?
Report any sightings of suspected hornets or hornet nests. You can make a report:
- online at report.mpi.govt.nz
- by calling our exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 809 966.
Only report or call the 0800 809 966 hotline if you have:
- a specimen or clear photo of a suspected hornet
- found a possible hornet nest.
Identifying nests
Yellow-legged hornets build large nests (up to 80 cm tall), often high in trees or under eaves.
However, early embryo nests created by queen hornets at the beginning of the spring season can be as small as a tennis ball and may appear within a couple of days.
Do not disturb any suspected nest. Take a photo and report it to Biosecurity New Zealand.
A queen yellow-legged hornet develops an embryo or primary nest (pictured). Worker hornets raised in the primary nest build a larger, secondary nest during the summer. Photo credit: John de Carteret – Jersey
Identifying yellow-legged hornets
The yellow-legged hornet has distinctive dark legs with bright yellow tips. In contrast, common wasp species in New Zealand, such as the German wasp (Vespula germanica), typically have uniformly yellow or yellow-striped legs.
The yellow-legged hornet is also much larger than honey bees and common wasp species seen in New Zealand.
Close-up view of a hornet
Image description – show/hide
A close-up view of a hornet, showing its features with text labels:
- Head black from above can be completely yellow in different sub species.
- Thorax velvety brown-black.
- First few abdominal segments with narrow yellow band.
- Fourth abdominal segment yellow.
- Femur and tibia black.
- Tarsi yellow.
[End of description]
Hornets are larger than common wasps
From left to right, biggest to smallest: 1 Yellow-legged hornet, 2 German wasp, 3 Asian paper wasp, 4 Australian paper wasp.
