Biosecurity New Zealand staff have begun hanging traps near sites where four bee-eating Asian yellow-legged hornet queens were detected in the Auckland suburbs of Glenfield and neighbouring Birkdale. Photos / Biosecurity NZ Facebook
Biosecurity New Zealand staff have begun hanging traps near sites where four bee-eating Asian yellow-legged hornet queens were detected in the Auckland suburbs of Glenfield and neighbouring Birkdale. Photos / Biosecurity NZ Facebook
MPI has proved itself incompetent to deal with the country’s latest pest threat – Asian yellow-legged hornets – and suitable experts must now be called in, Northland conservationist and beekeeper Brad Windust says.
However, MPI has reaffirmed its expertise in dealing with pest outbreaks, citing its successful responses totwo fruit fly finds earlier this year and a bird flu outbreak in Otago last year.
“Our staff are committed, knowledgeable, and passionate about the work they do,” Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis said in explaining the organisation’s next steps after a strategic meeting about the hornets yesterday.
Windust, who has already been vocal in the media with his criticism of MPI’s approach to the eradication of the new pest species, is now calling on the Minister for Biosecurity, Andrew Hoggard, to step in, sack those at MPI involved to date, and hand the reins over to an entity experienced in eradications, such as Zero Invasive.
Windust said he was hopeful yesterday when MPI told him it was having a strategic meeting to plan important next steps in its effort to eradicate the bee-eating Asian yellow-legged hornet. However, it was hugely disappointing to learn from MPI afterwards that while it would finally begin using hornet traps, it would only be installing six to 10 of them in the immediate area around Glenfield and neighbouring Birkdale, where four queen hornets have been discovered.
Northland biosecurity worker Brad Windust says MPI must install a grid of traps for hornets across the Auckland region and householders should also be making their own. Photos / supplied
He said the discovery of two male Asian hornets six months ago – in the Auckland suburbs of Grafton and Albany, could only mean one thing: “a queen hornet had made its way into the country, built a nest, and gone undercover last summer”.
“That nest would have released hundreds of queens last autumn, each capable of dispersing up to 34km.
“Only putting out six to 10 traps where the queens were found is inadequate beyond belief. I actually didn’t believe what I was hearing.”
In his view, thousands of traps needed to go out in a grid across the Auckland region.
“On top of that, thousands more traps should be deployed in the summer months to catch live worker hornets so that tiny tracking devices can be attached, allowing them to be tracked back to their nest, which can then be destroyed.
“Because queen Asian hornets disperse up to 34km, we only have one summer to get on top of this, and we’re already six months behind.
“Bee-eating yellow-legged hornets will destroy our beekeeping industry, which will have a catastrophic impact on our entire primary sector,” Windust said.
It would only take two or three nests to survive this summer without being detected, for the magnitude of the problem to “explode exponentially and beyond control”.
“Hopefully, with everyone’s involvement, calling out MPI and putting the pressure on, we can get a better result, ” Windust said.
Yellow-legged hornet (far left) compared to species established in New Zealand: (from left to right) German wasp
(Vespula germanica), Asian paper wasp (Polistes chinensis) and Australian paper wasp (Polistes humilis). Photo / Biosecurity New Zealand
Speaking about MPI’s previous pest responses, Inglis said, “We worked alongside a range of partners, including within the primary sector and public, which is exactly what we are doing for the hornet finds. All New Zealanders can contribute to biosecurity and we’re thankful for the public’s help in any response.
“It’s important to note that we work our way methodically through responses and assess the information and then take actions accordingly. Unlike fruit fly, which has a specific trap to attract it, there is no such option for hornets.
“Our team has worked to assess viable trap options, noting those being used will [also] capture bees, flies and other insects. The placement of traps is being guided by public notifications. We will monitor how effective the traps are.
“Our staff on the ground in the areas where the hornet has been found have received positive feedback from the public and thanked for their work. We’ve spoken to Mr Windust twice to reassure him that we are working hard in response to the hornets.
“We continue to thank the public for their vigilance in keeping an eye out for this hornet.”
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, most of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast.
