Yellow-legged hornets feed on bees and other insects. Photo / Ministry for Primary Industries
Yellow-legged hornets feed on bees and other insects. Photo / Ministry for Primary Industries
Two more hornet nests have been found in Auckland - one the size of a cricket ball and both containing queens.
In an update this afternoon, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) confirmed biosecurity staff made the discovery at a property in Glenfield, North Shore.
The ground searches have involved visual inspections of common nesting sites such as trees, fencelines and roof eaves.
Biosecurity NZ staff have been hanging traps in areas near where bee-eating Asian yellow-legged hornet queens were detected in the Auckland suburbs of Glenfield and neighbouring Birkdale. Photos / Biosecurity NZ
The searches will expand to include local parks and reserves next week.
The latest finds take the total number of queen hornets found in Auckland to nine. The first queen hornet was found building a nest in mid-October.
Authorities continue to urge members of the public to report any suspected hornets or nests. However, people are being asked to report only if they have a specimen, a clear photo or have located a possible nest.
“Public interest remains high, with more than 2000 notifications received so far,” MPI says.
