Straight answerHornets are not established in New Zealand. Yellow-legged hornets were found on Auckland's North Shore, mainly around Glenfield and Birkdale, in October 2025, and MPI has been running an eradication programme. DOC reported no new hornets or nests since early April 2026, but monitoring continues and sightings still need reporting.
How to tell a yellow-legged hornet from a wasp
Size is the first clue. The yellow-legged hornet is 2 to 3 centimetres long, far bigger than any wasp established here, which are about 11 to 16 millimetres. It is mostly dark, with a black head, yellow face, black thorax, dark legs with yellow ends, smoky-brown wings, and one wide yellow-orange band near the tip of the abdomen.
| Yellow-legged hornet | German wasp | Asian paper wasp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 2–3 cm | About 12–20 mm (queens larger) | About 12–15 mm |
| Colour | Mostly dark, one wide yellow-orange band | Bright black and yellow bands | Reddish-brown to black, yellow rings |
| Legs | Dark with yellow ends | Tucked up in flight | Long, dangling in flight |
| Nest | Large round paper nest, often high in trees or under eaves | Covered nest, usually underground or hidden | Small open comb |
| What to do | Report to MPI | Pest controller | Pest controller if near people |
What a hornet nest looks like
Yellow-legged hornet nests are enclosed paper balls that can reach about 60 centimetres wide and 80 tall. They are often high in trees or under eaves. A German wasp nest is also an enclosed paper ball but is usually underground or hidden in a cavity, so a big ball high in a tree on the North Shore is worth reporting.
Why hornets matter
The aim is to stop the hornet establishing in New Zealand at all, and that depends on finding any survivors early. Any queens that survived would have spent winter hidden under bark, in leaf litter or in woodpiles and come out in spring, which is why spring and summer sightings matter most.
How to report a hornet
- Stay back. Hornets can sting repeatedly and may attack if you get too close to a nest.
- Take a photo if it is safe to. A photo of a dead hornet works too.
- Note the exact location.
- Report to MPI's biosecurity hotline, 0800 80 99 66, at report.mpi.govt.nz, or email [email protected].
Most big black and yellow insects in Auckland are German wasps. Identify the wasp you have, and if it is a wasp nest near the house, see how wasp nest removal works.
Questions people ask
Are there hornets in New Zealand?
Not established. Yellow-legged hornets were detected on Auckland's North Shore in October 2025, the first time the species had been found here, and MPI has been running an eradication. DOC reported no new detections since early April 2026. Monitoring continues, so report any suspected hornet to 0800 80 99 66.
Can a pest controller remove a hornet nest?
Don't book one for a suspected hornet nest. A yellow-legged hornet is a biosecurity matter, and MPI needs to know about any find so it can track where the hornets came from. Report it to MPI's biosecurity hotline, 0800 80 99 66 and leave the nest alone.
Sources we checked
- Yellow-legged hornet (Department of Conservation)
- Yellow-legged hornet flyer (Oct 2025) (Ministry for Primary Industries)
- Yellow-legged hornet eradication (Jan 2026) (Victoria University of Wellington)
- Vespula wasps (Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research)
Last reviewed 2026-10-06.