At the recent Birchwood spring field day, a grower raised questions about sightings of yellow-legged hornets as noted in a recent Bulletin. These hornets are known predators of pollinators, including honeybees, and pose a potential biosecurity risk to the kiwifruit industry.

Following the field day, KVH promptly contacted the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) for further details. Within just 30 minutes, MPI provided help to clarify the situation and answer specific questions from the grower – their response confirmed that no additional reports or suspect nests have been found.

While the initial sightings were concerning, MPI advised that the hornets were likely hitchhikers, not part of an established population. Nonetheless, growers are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any unusual wasp or hornet activity.

A big thank you to the Birchwood grower who raised this important issue. Your engagement strengthens our biosecurity efforts, and we’re always pleased to see great questions met with great responses from MPI investigators.