The world’s largest hornet, an invasive breed dubbed the “murder hornet” for its dangerous sting and ability to quickly destroy a hive, has been declared eradicated in the United States, five years after being spotted for the first time in Washington state near the Canadian border.

It’s thought the invasive hornets could have travelled to North America in plant pots or shipping containers and have posed significant threats to pollinators and native insects during the five-year response.

They can wipe out a honeybee hive in as little as 90 minutes, decapitating the bees and then defending the hive as their own, taking the brood to feed their own young.

The hornet features in our 2025 calendar of pests to keep a look out for, especially as it isn’t like anything we already have here in New Zealand already and will look new and unusual.