Image: Creative Commons
Close up of a wasp with a black torso and brown and orange body and yellow legs. It is resting on a gelatinous green water surface.
Yellow-legged hornet
The yellow-legged hornet is an invasive pest that does not normally live in New Zealand.

The yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) is larger than a common wasp with distinctive yellow ends to its legs. It is mostly black with a single yellow/orange band near its tail. 

Yellow-legged hornets found in Auckland

Yellow-legged hornets were found on Auckland's North Shore in 2025. Biosecurity New Zealand is continuing its work to find and remove them.

Experts believe the hornets came from a single fertilised queen hornet. Most hornets found so far have been in the Glenfield and Birkdale areas.

Find out more about yellow-legged hornets in Auckland.

A threat to native species

The yellow-legged hornet could be a big problem for New Zealand's native plants and animals. It hunts and eats many kinds of insects, including honeybees, native bees, flies, and other insects that help pollinate plants.

Large groups of hornets can eat huge numbers of insects. This could make it harder for plants to be pollinated and may affect the natural balance of the environment. The hornets may also compete with native birds and other animals that eat insects, leaving less food available for them.

Stopping the spread

Intensive searching, trapping, and destroying nests, along with reports from the public, have helped remove many queen hornets and nests.

By the middle of 2026, no new yellow-legged hornets or nests had been found since early April.

This suggests the effort to get rid of them is working well. However, monitoring is still continuing because some queen hornets may have survived the winter and could start new colonies.

DOC's role

DOC supports Biosecurity New Zealand's work to get rid of the yellow-legged hornet. DOC staff are part of governance and technical advisory groups that help make decisions and provide expert advice.

DOC also helps give response teams access to important conservation areas, such as Rangitoto Island, so they can do their work there.

A size chart showing the biggest first, left to right, biggest to smallest: 1 Yellow-legged hornet, 2 German wasp, 3 Asian paper wasp, 4 Australian paper wasp.
From left to right, biggest to smallest: 1 Yellow-legged hornet, 2 German wasp, 3 Asian paper wasp, 4 Australian paper wasp. Image: MPI.govt.nz |

Report sightings

If you suspect you have seen a yellow-legged hornet or nest you can make a report:

  • by calling the MPI exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 809 966
  • by emailing info@mpi.govt.nz
  • online at report.mpi.govt.nz – if you use this method, select the ‘suspected yellow-legged hornet’ option from the dropdown list.