Yellow-legged hornet sightings in Auckland in 2025

Latest update: 29 December 2025

Biosecurity New Zealand is urging Aucklanders to continue to be on the lookout for yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina) or nests.

We’re responding to the discovery of queen hornets and nests in the Glenfield and Birkdale areas on Auckland’s North Shore. 

To date, there have been 39 confirmed queen hornets found (based on specimens). Twenty-six of the 39 confirmed queen hornets were found with either developed nests or evidence of nesting. 

Biosecurity New Zealand expects to find more hornets over the summer due to increased surveillance.

We’ve had an excellent response from the public. We have received more than 7,585 notifications to date.

A Technical Advisory Group (TAG), comprising independent scientific experts from countries that have successfully managed hornet incursions, is supporting the response.

Their recommendations are shaping Biosecurity New Zealand’s strategy.

Key additional actions include:

extended the surveillance zone out to 11km from the hornet detections and adding more traps, with a combination of carbohydrate and protein traps
working closely with more beekeepers for enhanced surveillance around hives – over 575 registered apiaries within the 11km zone
increased staff on the ground to accelerate detection and removal
introducing advanced tracking technology from the Netherlands to trace hornets back to their nests
hosting a specialist from the UK’s hornet response team to train staff and advise on programme delivery.

Hornet trap locations and detection area

Auckland map with dense network of traps marked by yellow dots. Zone A centers around Glenfield and Birkdale.

Trap locations as at 27 December 2025 (yellow dots). All queen yellow-legged hornets have been found in Zone A (red circle) – a 1km buffer around detections.

Download the map to print it [JPG, 12 MB]

Report any suspected sightings

The best surveillance tool we have is for people to report any sightings of suspected hornets or hornet nests. This can be done:

by calling our exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 809 966
by emailing us at info@mpi.govt.nz
online at report.mpi.govt.nz – if you use this method, ensure that you select the 'plants, spiders or insects' option from the dropdown list.

These detections have given us a good indication of where the hornets may be, so give your location when making reports.

Media releases

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 you can help

Yellow-legged hornets have only been detected in Auckland. We believe it’s unlikely they are present outside this area. However, Biosecurity New Zealand is closely monitoring the situation and is encouraging people to remain vigilant and report any suspected hornet or nest sightings.

The best surveillance tool we have right now is for people to report any sightings of suspected hornets or hornet nests.

When looking for hornets and their nests, check common nesting areas such as roof eaves of your house, sheltered entrances, wooden structures, carports, under wooden decks, sheds, and outbuildings.

Also check your boat, caravan, or campervan before heading away with them to avoid moving nests around, and when gardening, look out for signs of hornet activity and take care not to disturb their nests.

Video: Learn where to look for yellow-legged hornet nests – YouTube (1.45)

Don’t attempt to remove or control a suspected hornet nest yourself, or spray a hornet or nest with insecticide. It is very important for Biosecurity New Zealand to know where the hornets are active. Any attempt to control them risks pushing them away, making it difficult to find them.

We appreciate that taking photos can be hard, as the hornets are strong flyers, but images are the best method for us to assess the valuable observations made by the public.

If you think you have found a hornet or its nest, take a clear photo and report:

by calling our exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 809 966
by emailing us at info@mpi.govt.nz
online at report.mpi.govt.nz – if you use this method, ensure that you select the 'plants, spiders or insects' option from the dropdown list.

Homemade traps

We know many people want to help by setting their own traps. These may be effective in attracting hornets and other flying insects, but significant bycatch of other insects should be expected.

We have created some easy-to-follow instructions for building a simple homemade trap:

How to make a homemade hornet trap – Fact sheet [PDF, 833 KB]

A suggested bait formula to add to your trap is 400g of sugar, 10g of yeast, and 1 litre of water. You can also add 100ml of beer to this mixture.

We recommend you change this bait every 3 weeks.

It is important to closely monitor any homemade trap – check them at least once a week. It helps to be familiar with local wasp species that are not a concern in this response.

Know the difference between hornets and common wasps

One hornet and 3 different wasp species side by side, numbered from 1 to 4.

From left to right, biggest to smallest: 1 Yellow-legged hornet, 2 German wasp, 3 Asian paper wasp, 4 Australian paper wasp.

If you make and install a homemade trap and believe you have caught a hornet, take a clear photograph and report it online or by calling 0800 809 966. Do not handle live hornets.

Identifying nests

Yellow-legged hornets build large nests (up to 80 cm tall), often high in trees or under eaves.

In spring and early summer, queen hornets build early ‘embryo’ nests that can be as small as a tennis ball.

Do not disturb any suspected nest. Take a photo and report it to Biosecurity New Zealand.

Hornet building a white spherical nest with a bottom opening.

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

You may see later stage, more developed primary nests such as this one which is about the size of a softball.

Yellow-legged hornet developed primary nests

A more developed yellow-legged hornet primary nest.

Large secondary nests (up to 80cm tall) are built high in trees.

Do not disturb any suspected nest. Take a photo and report it to Biosecurity New Zealand.

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.