GOOD4BEES Hornet Trap

Yellow-legged Hornet (Vespa Velutina) Selective Trap

Target hornets. Let non-target insects go.

A smart, eco-minded trap designed for effective hornet capture while reducing bycatch to avoid clogging the trap unnecessarily.

The yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) is a serious biosecurity threat to honeybees and other pollinators. Biosecurity New Zealand is currently responding to detections on Auckland’s North Shore, and is urging the public to stay vigilant and report sightings.

Why this matters for NZ beekeepers

• Hornets prey on bees at hive entrance causing the bees to stay in the hive.
• The ongoing stress of this "hawking" can cause colony collapse 
• Early detection will give eradication a high chance of success

The GOOD4BEES trap is suited to monitoring and targeted trapping—particularly where hornet activity is suspected or where you want an extra layer of protection around apiaries.

It is extremely well built and made to last a long time. The structure is rigid and durable for NZ conditions. The attractant is protected from rain dilution to give great results in all weather. The base is very easy to remove to refill with attractant without risk of any hornets escaping.

Key feature: bycatch release mechanisms

Unlike basic “bucket” style traps, this design is built around selectivity:

• Calibrated entry aimed at hornet-sized insects
• Dedicated escape routes so smaller insects can exit
• No-drowning design (bait is separated from insects) to reduce unnecessary mortality
  

Result: effective trapping, with less collateral damage to beneficial insects.

How it works

1) Attract

• Transparent bait reservoir for quick checks and easy cleaning - 
• Dual-wick diffusion system to increase scent release
• Ventilation openings to help disperse attractant odour

Biosecurity NZ uses a mix of carbohydrate and protein trapping approaches in their response work. We recommend mixing Grape Juice and Brown Sugar 50/50 for Bait. This has been very successful in Georgia, USA.

Tip. When hornets die, they put out a pheromone that attracts more hornets. If you are in a hornet area, leave 2 or 3 dead hornets in the trap at all times, where possible. 

2) Capture

• Hornets tend to move toward light—this design encourages top-section movement
• A flexible one-way cone helps reduce escapes once inside

This “anti-return cone” concept and the broader attract–capture–select approach are well established in European hornet-trapping products and use

3) Select (in/out control)

• Entry sizing helps limit access by larger non-target insects. (Not important in NZ)
• Escape points help smaller insects get out
• Separated bait reduces drowning risk

Many modern selective traps use the same principles—calibrated entrances, escape routes, and anti-drowning features—to reduce impact on non-target insects.

Simple to use

• Hang it or place it on the ground
• Quick visual inspection of bait level
• Reusable, durable construction
• Works with liquid or solid baits

Compact and lightweight: approx. 18 × 13 × 13 cm, ~95 g.

Note: The product is packed as a kitset to save shipping costs. Some simple assembly is required. Instructions are included.