ZB ZB
Opinion
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Listen to NAME OF STATION
Up next
Listen live on
ZB

"Major problem and threat": Efforts to eradicate invasive yellow-legged hornets widen

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 11 Dec 2025, 12:35pm
Photo / Getty
Photo / Getty

"Major problem and threat": Efforts to eradicate invasive yellow-legged hornets widen

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 11 Dec 2025, 12:35pm

Efforts to stamp out yellow-legged hornets in New Zealand are widening. 

Biodiversity New Zealand is expanding the 5-kilometre surveillance zone in Glenfield and Birkdale on Auckland's North Shore further out to 11-kilometres, to ensure only one population is at large. 

Victoria University Ecology and Entomology Professor Phil Lester told Kerre Woodham hornets target worker bees one by one and will hurt more than our honey sector.  

He says bees support our dairy, kiwifruit, and avocado industries, and if they get established it will be a real problem. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you